Who was Athena?

In short: Athena is the Greek goddess of wisdom, strategy and combat, and of crafts and handiwork. Daughter of Zeus and Metis, she sprang fully armed from her father's head and became the patron goddess of Athens.

Profile

Role: Goddess of wisdom, patron of Athens
Domain: Wisdom, strategy and combat, crafts and handiwork
Symbols: Owl, olive tree; and the aegis, which she received from Zeus
Parents: Zeus and Metis
Epithets: Pallas, Parthenos ("the maiden")
Roman counterpart: Minerva

5 facts about Athena

Zeus swallowed his pregnant wife Metis — Athena was later born from his head, fully armed.
In her contest with Poseidon for the city of Athens, she gave the olive tree and won.
Her most important temple was the Parthenon on the Acropolis, built from 447 BC.
Her epithet Parthenos means "the maiden" — Athena stayed unmarried.
In Roman mythology she corresponds to Minerva.

Wisdom over brute strength

Unlike her half-brother Ares, who stands for the blind fury of war, Athena embodies deliberate, planned combat. She was also the goddess of craftsmen, weavers and artists — to the Greeks, wisdom included practical skill.

That gives her a special place in the family tree: born without a mother in the usual sense, from the head of the king of the gods himself.

Frequently asked questions

Who were Athena's parents?

Athena was the daughter of Zeus and the Titaness Metis. Zeus swallowed Metis during her pregnancy, and Athena then sprang from his head.

Why is Athens named after Athena?

Athena was the city's patron and namesake. In the myth she won it in a contest with Poseidon by giving the olive tree.

What is Athena called in Roman mythology?

Her Roman counterpart is Minerva.

Sources

Hesiod, Theogony, l. 886 ff. – Metis and the birth of Athena (Perseus) – accessed 14 October 2026
Wikipedia – Athena (German) – accessed 14 October 2026

More from Greek mythology

Athena is one of Zeus's many daughters. Open the example tree to explore her parents and half-siblings generation by generation.