Athena

myminifactory

Who is Depicted? Athena is associated with Athens because it was a place where she presided over her sisterhood, the Athenai, in earliest times. Mycenae was the city where the Goddess was called Mykene, and Mycenae is named for the sisterhood of females who tended her there. At Thebes, she was called Thebe, and the city again a plural, Thebae (or Thebes). Similarly, at Athens, she was called Athena, and the city Athenae. Athena had a special relationship with Athens as shown by the etymological connection of the names of the goddess and the city. According to mythical lore, she competed with Poseidon and won by creating the olive tree; the Athenians would accept her gift and name the city after her. In history, the citizens of Athens built a statue of Athena as a temple to the goddess. In a Mycenean fresco, there is a composition of two women extending their hands towards a central figure who is covered by an enormous figure-eight shield. This could also depict the war-goddess with her palladium or her palladium in an aniconic representation. Therefore, Mylonas believes that Athena was a Mycenaean creation. On the other hand, Nilsson claims that she was the goddess of the palace who protected the king, and that the origin of Athena was the Minoan domestic snake-goddess. In the so-called Procession-fresco in Knossos, two rows of figures carrying vessels seem to meet in front of a central figure, which is probably the Minoan palace goddess "Atano". More About the Artist The artist behind this piece remains unknown.