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Athena: Cities
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Athena is the goddess of wisdom; her symbol is the owl (the wise bird). She's the patron goddess of the city of Athens, and her owl appears on Athenian silver coins. She is ... a war goddess, which is why she is usually shown fully armed, with her shield and sword.
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When Zeus announced that a city would be given to the god who produced the most useful gift to the Greeks, Athena created an olive tree, which provided shade, oil and olives to the people. Zeus awarded the city to Athena and named it Athens in her honor.
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Athena stands holding a Nike (Victory) on her right hand that extends forward from the elbow, as if offering Nike to the Athenian citizens. With her left hand she supports her shield which shelters a snake as it rests on the ground, and her lance that rests on her left shoulder.She is dressed with an Attica peplos, and on her head she wears a richly decorated helmet with a sphinx at the apex and two Pegasi on each side. Her breastplate is adorned with snakes and the head of Medusa at the center.
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Probably the most famous monument from ancient Greece, the Parthenon is the main temple of Athena in her city of Athens, located on a large hill known as the Acropolis. The first image below is an aerial photograph of the Acropolis, with the Parthenon near the center; to the lower left is the entrance to the Acropolis known as the Propylaea.
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Athena and her uncle, the sea god Poseidon, competed for the affections of the Greeks, each providing one gift to the nation. Poseidon provided either a wonderful horse or a salt-water spring, but Athena provided the olive tree, giving shade, oil, and olives. The Greeks preferred her gift and named the city after her.
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Myth Man's Note: In Nashville, Tennessee, the city has constructed a reproduction of Athena's temple -- the Parthenon -- featuring a giant statue of Athena. It's the largest indoor statue in the world, and quite an awesome sight.
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