What was athenaʼs weapon?

Athena’s Weapon: Unraveling the Truth

What was Athena’s weapon?

For centuries, the mythologies of ancient Greece have captured the hearts and imaginations of people around the world. One of the most fascinating aspects of Greek mythology is the array of magnificent gods and goddesses with their respective powers and domains. Among the most awe-inspiring deities was Athena, the goddess of wisdom, war, and crafts. But what weapon did Athena wield?

To answer this question, it’s essential to delve into the vast expanse of Greek mythology and explore the various sources that describe the goddess and her arsenal. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Athena’s weapon(s) and examine the primary sources, myths, and legends that have shaped our understanding of this powerful and enigmatic goddess.

**The Direct Answer:**

Before we dive deeper into the world of myths and legends, let’s get the direct answer to our question: **what was Athena’s weapon?**. According to Hesiod’s _Theogony_ (approximately 700 BCE), one of the most influential early sources on Greek mythology, Athena’s primary weapon is the **_Aegid_** or _Aegis_ (shield). However, this direct answer may not be sufficient, as the mythology is rich with variations and contradicting sources.

**The Aegid/Aegis Shield**

So, what makes the Aegid (or Aegis) unique? According to mythological accounts, the Aegis was not just any shield. **It was created by the god Hephaestus** and passed down to Athena as a gift from Zeus. In many sources, including Pindar’s _Partheneia_ and Apollodorus’s _Bibliotheca_, the Aegis is described as a **leather tunic** embroidered with snakes and the Head of the Gorgon Medusa. This depiction is echoed in many images and statues of Athena in ancient Greece.

The shield’s ability to **send forth dreadful sounds** upon being cast, as noted in Euripides’s _Medea_, led to it being feared throughout the world. The Greek poet Ovid, too, emphasized the Aegid’s power in **_The Metamorphoses_**, stating: “By the Aegid she [Athena] was surrounded…”

**Variations and Contradictions**

However, not all sources agree with the description of the Aegid as a simple shield. **Heraclides Ponticus (c. 360 CE)** believed that the Aegis was actually a separate entity from the shield itself, consisting of **multiple snakes, the Head of Medusa, and Poseidon’s trident.** Others, like Homer in his _Iliad_, describe the **_Pelte_ (shield) as Athena’s primary weapon**, rather than the Aegis.

Conflicting sources and interpretations do not provide a clear single answer. **It might be because the mythology had evolved and changed over the centuries, influenced by a variety of cultural and intellectual factors.**

**Other Weapons**

In various myths, Athena is equipped with an array of instruments, further complicating her arsenal:

• **Nike (Winged Sandal)**: In some narratives, **Athena uses the winged Nike to flee from battle and reach Mount Olympus** faster.
• **Bow of Apollo**: In a remarkable instance of inter-goddess competition, **Pallas Athena borrows Artemis’ bow and misses her target**, ascribed to Apollodorus’s _Bibliotheca_.
• **Spear**: In art and imagery, Athena sometimes wields a spear (**_Dory_ or _Drakon_), often seen in conjunction with the Aegis.