~Mythology~

ATHENA (MINERVA) & NIKE (VICTORY)

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Athena (Minerva)

*Goddess of Wisdom

*Goddess of Wisdom during war through Prudence, Courage & Perseverance

....*Patroness of Agriculture, Industry, Arts & City of Athens

*Sacred to Athena were the Owl, Serpent, Rooster & Olive

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Athena (Minerva) was the goddess of wisdom and war. She guided men through the perils of war where victory was to be gained through prudence, courage and perseverance. She was also the patroness of agriculture, industry, the arts and the City of Athens. Athena was surnamed Pallas, due to killing a giant by that name. Frequently called Pallas Athena, the goddess was worshipped in a wide variety of roles. Sacred to her were the owl, the serpent, the rooster, and the olive.

Athena, the favorite daughter of Zeus (Jupiter), leaped into life from Zeus' head - fully grown and fully armed. She was an active goddess, the focus of many legends. Ancient Greek authors often portrayed Athena in their stories and plays. In the Iliad, Homer referred to the goddess as Athena of the Flashing Eyes or Grey-eyed Athena.

Athens, the capital of Greece today, was protected by Athena. In the fifth century, Pericles developed a master plan for the city which focused on creating works of public art and architecture which would reflect the city's glory and would inspire exceptional allegiance and tribute by its people. Under Pericles' leadership and direction, the buildings of the acropolis were designed as a home for the goddess Athena. In the middle of the acropolis was a statue of the goddess. One of the most famous and unusual structures was Athena's majestic temple, the Parthenon. The decorative frieze, a band of stonework running between the tops of the columns and the roof line, around the Parthenon's internal chamber was revolutionary. For the first time in Greek history, a human scene was sculpted on a temple instead of gods and heroes. This was a shocking statement of pride and patriotism. The daring scene was the yearly Panathenaic1 procession in which Athenians carried a richly decorated peplos, a woolen robe made from a single length of cloth and specially woven by a group of virgin girls, to clothe the statute of Athena. The ruins of the Parthenon serve to remind us, 2500 years later, of the wealth, sophistication and power of ancient Athens.

It was a little earlier, perhaps in the mid 500s B.C. that the Athenians initiated their famous silver coinage featuring the helmeted head of Athena on the obverse and her sacred owl with a spray of olive (her gift to the city) and a crescent moon on the reverse. It is believed that this coin may have been introduced at the Great Festival of the Panathenic Games in the summer of 566 B.C. since that summer's festival was attended on a grand scale. Gaining universal recognition as being of good silver of uniform weight and fineness, the Silver Owl was the first coin in the ancient world to achieve the true status of "international money". Athena is featured many Greek coins. The goddess may be portrayed full-length or as just a head or bust. Occasionally, she is pictured holding Nike (Victoria), the Goddess of Victory. Sometimes she is shown hurling Zeus' thunderbolt. Her owl, serpent, rooster or olive are often pictured with her. On the silver coins of Corinth and Corinthian colonies, the goddess wears a Corinthian helmet (335-300 B.C.).

Athena is also pictured on a coin issued by Alexander the Great who, by the time of his death in 323 B.C., had conquered all the known world. On the obverse of a gold di-stater is the helmeted head of Athena and on the reverse stands a winged Nike (Goddess of Victory), holding a wreath and pennant.
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Nike (Victory)

*Goddess of Victory

*Personal Charioteer & Attendant to Zeus

*Goddess of Contests

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Nike (Greek Nikn, pronounced /'nike/ "NEE-keh", meaning "Victory"), was a goddess who personified triumph (victory). She was a daughter of Pallas (Warrior) and the sister of Cratos (Strength), Bia (Force), and Zelus (Rivalry). Nike and her siblings were all attendants of Zeus. According to myth, Styx brought them to Zeus when the god was assembling allies for the coming Titan War. Nike assumed the role of the god's personal charioteer, a role often portrayed in classical art.

Her Roman counterpart is Victory. Nike was regarded as the bestower of victory, both in war and in contest. As a war goddess she was often represented standing alongside Zeus, Athena and Ares. As a goddess of contests, she was usually portrayed decking the winner of a musical or athletic contest with a victor's wreath or sash.

Nike was often worshipped in conjunction with Athena, with whom she was particularly closely associated after the Greek victory over the Persians at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. The great statue of Athena Parthenos in the Parthenon in Athens is thought to have depicted Nike standing in the hand of Athena, and the Parthenon complex included a Temple of Athena Nike, built around 410 BC. The Athenians also dedicated a statue to Nike at Delphi. The statue of Zeus at Olympia reportedly also depicted Nike.

Nike also presided over athletic as well as military contests. It was this meaning that prompted designer Jeff Johnson, the first man that US footwear entrepreneur Phil Knight hired, to borrow her name for the company, Nike, Inc., the clothing and sportswear manufacturer. Johnson had a dream about the goddess and Knight liked the idea.

An image of Nike appears in all Summer Olympics medals. In 2004 for the 2004 Summer Olympics an image of the goddess appears in the Panathinaiko Stadium.

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