Illustration
Marble statue of Athena, found in Italy, made in the 1st century CE. The ancient Greek goddess of war and wisdom was also known as Minerva to the Romans. She had dominion over various aspects of public life, including the military, justice, politics, and the arts.
In this particular depiction of Athena, she is portrayed wearing a helmet and a heavy robe. Her contemplative pose represents her role as a martial deity who values intellect and strategy over brute force. The breastplate she wears is adorned with the head of Medusa, symbolizing Athena's ability to conquer evil. Originally, this statue would have held a spear and possibly a figure of Nike, the goddess of victory, but it was later replaced with an owl.
Photographed in the British Museum, London, on loan by the National Museums Liverpool, World Museum.
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Cite This Work
APA Style
Crabben, J. v. d. (2023, August 16). Statue of Athena. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/17741/statue-of-athena/
Chicago Style
Crabben, Jan van der. "Statue of Athena." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified August 16, 2023. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/17741/statue-of-athena/.
MLA Style
Crabben, Jan van der. "Statue of Athena." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 16 Aug 2023. Web. 21 Feb 2025.
