Perhaps one of the most recognizable of the Greek Goddesses, Athena is the symbol of wisdom, courage, and was the patroness of the great city of Athens. Athena’s life passion was to protect and lead the people of Athens. She fought for values like justice, truth, and moral values and put it all on the line to protect her beliefs.
She was fearless and was exalted for her heroic endeavors and her unmatched intellect earned her the title of the Goddess of War. What made Athena’s approach unique, was she prioritized strategy over fighting and did not encourage violence. As the daughter of Zeus, Athena embodied similar power, influence, and leadership representing the citizens of Athens.
As a Goddess of the people, Athena did not find companionship in the traditional sense but instead from her community and from within herself. Throughout the Greek world, she is often referred to as Athena Polias or “Athena of the City.” An unwavering trailblazer, Athena’s strength and independence made her an unstoppable force.
Although her wisdom and dedication made her fit to lead, Athena was still met with challenges along the way where she had to prove herself. Most notably was the power struggle with Poseidon for the city of Athens. Both Poseidon and Athena presented the citizens with a gift to demonstrate their ability to lead. As the God of the Sea, Poseidon created a source of water intended to be a resource for the people. In theory this would have been incredibly valuable, but when the citizens went to drink the water, they quickly learned that instead of freshwater it was salt. Relying on her quick-wit, Athena gifted the citizens with an olive tree that met many of the city’s needs: it provided fruit, oil for cooking, and wood to build homes and shelter. It was obvious that she was the leader that could create a better life for her people.
In honor of her inherent wisdom, Athena’s symbol was the owl.
Layering the owl pendant with the Athena Coin necklace is a reminder to trust from within and allow your inner strength to lead the way.
