The Goddess Of Athena (fragment from the 5th century B.C.).This relief is a fragment from the frieze surrounding the sacred cella of The Parthenon. The entire frieze pictured the lengthy procession which proceeded from the city gates to The Acropolis to honor the patron goddess of the city. Athena is shown here wearing the helmet with which she is identified. The superb beauty of her profile and idealized features are not lessened by her melancholy mood. Of all the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece, only Zeus was wiser than Athena. She was the patroness of all the heroes who fought against evil sources and like Minerva, her counterpart in Roman mythology, she was often associated with war. But Athena loved peace more than war for she was the goddess of agriculture, and spinning and weaving. She was also the patron protectress of Athens. The city bore her name because mythology tells us that her father Zeus has decreed that the city should be awarded to the god or goddess who should create the most useful gift for the city's inhabitants. Poseidon created the horse by the prize was awarded to Athena when with her superior wisdom she created the love tree, the symbol of peace and the source of prosperity.
