What is Athena?
{{Infobox deity | type = Greek | name = Athena | image = Mattei Athena Louvre Ma530 n2.jpg | alt = | caption = ''Mattei Athena'' at [[Louvre]]. Roman copy from the 1st century BC/AD after the Greek original Piraeus Athena of the 4th century BC attributed to Cephisodotos or Euphranor. | god_of = Goddess of wisdom, warfare, and handicraft | member_of = the [[Twelve Olympians]] | abode = [[Mount Olympus]] | tree = Olive | animals = [[Owl]], serpent, horse | symbol = [[Aegis]], helmet, spear, armor, [[Gorgoneion]], chariot | parents = [[Zeus]] and [[Metis (mythology)|Metis]]{{efn|In other traditions, Athena's father is sometimes listed as Zeus by himself or [[Pallas (Giant)|Pallas]], [[Cyclopes|Brontes]], or [[Itonus|Itonos]].}}{{sfn|Kerényi|1951|pages=121–122}} | children = [[Erichthonius of Athens|Erichthonius]] {{small|(adopted)}} | siblings = [[Zeus#Offspring|Several paternal half-siblings]] | mount = | Roman_equivalent = [[Minerva]] | equivalent1_type = Egyptian | equivalent1 = [[Neith]] | Canaanite_equivalent = [[Anat]]{{sfn|L. Day|1999|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=yCkRz5pfxz0C&pg=PA39 39]}} }} [[File:Pallas Athena Parliament Vienna.jpg|thumb|200px|Athena, in front of the [[parliament]] building in [[Vienna]], [[Austria]]]] '''Athena''', or '''Athene''', is the Greek [[gods|goddess]] of [[wisdom]], [[warfare]], and [[handicraft]]. She is one of the [[Twelve Olympians]]. Athena's symbol is the [[owl]]. She has a [[shield]] called [[Aegis]], a gift from [[Zeus]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U4mFAgAAQBAJ&q=Ninurta&pg=PA42|title=Greek Myths and Mesopotamia: Parallels and Influence in the Homeric Hymns and Hesiod|last=Penglase|first=Charles|date=2003-10-04|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-134-72930-2|language=en}}</ref> Athena is often shown wearing her [[helmet]] and holding her [[shield]]. The shield later had [[Medusa|Medusa's]] head on it, given to Athena by [[Perseus]] after he killed Medusa.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LmxmdLeBeZkC&q=Athena%20Nausic