Bust of Athena

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This is a stunning bust of Athena from the 2nd century AD. Athena, also known by her epithet Pallas, was an ancient Greek goddess revered for her wisdom, craftsmanship, and bravery, later merged with the Roman goddess Minerva. As patron and protector, Athena was closely associated with various cities across Greece, particularly Athens, which she likely named after herself. Typically depicted in art wearing a helmet and carrying a spear, her iconic symbols include owls, olive trees, snakes, and the Gorgoneion. In Greek mythology, it's believed that Athena was born from Zeus' head. In Athens' founding myth, Athena outshone Poseidon by creating the first olive tree. Known as Athena Parthenos ("Athena the Virgin"), she was also referenced in an ancient Attic myth where Hephaestus attempted to rape her but failed, resulting in Gaea giving birth to Erichthonius, a key Athenian founding hero. As patron goddess of heroic endeavors, Athena was believed to have assisted legendary heroes Perseus, Heracles, Bellerophon, and Jason. Alongside Aphrodite and Hera, Athena's feud with these goddesses sparked the beginning of the Trojan War. Athena plays an integral role in Homer's Iliad, where she supports the Achaeans, and in the Odyssey, she serves as Odysseus' divine advisor. In Ovid's later writings, Athena competed against mortal Arachne in a weaving contest, transforming her into the first spider afterward. Ovid also describes how Athena transformed Medusa into a Gorgon after witnessing Poseidon raping her in her temple. Since the Renaissance, Athena has become an international emblem of wisdom, the arts, and classical learning. Western artists and allegorists have often used Athena as a symbol of freedom and democracy.