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Athens became the official Greek capital in 1834 after the Greeks freed themselves from Turkish rule. But the greatest fame of this city dates from the 400's BC, when it was the world's most powerful and most highly civilized city. The city's name in Greek is Athinai.

The city was named such for Athena the greek goddess of warfare and wisdom in Greek mythology. At birth, according to myth, she sprang, full-grown and dressed in armor, from the forehead of Zeus, the king of the gods.

Some myths tell how Athens got its name. The Greeks in the territory of Attica wanted to name their principal city for either Poseidon, the sea god, or Athena, whoever gave the more useful gift. One myth says that Poseidon created the horse. Another says he created the spring. Athena created the olive tree. The gods judged Athena's gift more useful, and so the city was named Athens, with Athena it's patroness.

Athena represented the intellectual aspect of war. The Greeks worshipped her as the patroness of Arts and Crafts. Athena was also particularly skilled at weaving. She is usually represented wearing a helmet and a magic shield called the aegis. Athena's chief symbol was the owl.

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Q: Why is goddess Athena so important to the people of Athens?
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Who was the special goddess of Athens?

Athena,the Greek goddess of wisdom,became the special goddess of Athens by blessing the people with Olive trees.


Who were the Athens?

If the question was "Who were the Athenians?" The answer is the people who lived in the Greek city of Athens. If the question was "Who was Athena", the answer is: Athena was a goddess. She was the goddess of war, wisdom, weaving, crafts, and knowledge.


Which goddess protected Athens?

Athena is the Goddess that supposedly protects Athens. Athena and Poseidon fought over controll of the city. Each God had to give a present to the people whichever was the best would protect and 'rule' over Athens. Poseidon made a geyser of salt water. And Athena gave them an olive tree. Since the people could do nothing with salt water they chose Athena. Which in Greek mythology guards Athens.


Was Athena the goddess of Athens?

Athena is the patron goddess of Athens. Athena and Poseidon had a contest to see who gets the city named after them. Poseidon gave a salt water spring while Athena planted olive trees. To the gods or the people of Athens, depending on which version you're reading, they voted Athena's gift better. This is why Athens has its name.


What did Poseidon do to the city of Athens?

Poseidon fought the goddess Athena over the city of Athens.


Who worships Athena?

The ancient Greeks worshiped Athena. She was the goddess of wisdom, heroes, and warfare. In Roman mythology, her counterpart was the goddess Minerva.


Why did most people Athens build the Parthenon?

The Parthenon was built as a gift, or place to worship, the Greek goddess Athena, who was the patron goddess of the greek goddess Athens. The Parthenon had a statue of Athena inside that was made of ivory and gold. It is said to be one of the finest examples of Doric architecture. The Parthenon sits on the Acropolis, which means "high-city," so the gift to Athena would sit high, like the goddess herself.


Why did Phidias create a sculpture for Goddess Athena.?

People worshiped her. She is the goddess of wisdom, crafts and war. People worshiped her for that and because she gave Athens olive trees.


Where did people honer Athena?

In Ancient Greece, Athena was the goddess of magic, wisdom, and strategic war. Her symbol was the owl. Athens, Capital of Greece, is named after her. Yay.


How did Athens honor Athena?

The people of her city, Athens, dedicated the most important Temple in Greece to her, The Parthenon.


Why is Athena so important to the people of Athena?

She is so important because she watchs over them. But if you are talking about the greek city, ATHENS, then it is obvious since ATHENS was named after ATHENA. In greek mythology, the wisdom goddess Athena and the sea god Poseidon had a rivalry rooting from who the town (now known as athens) would be named Patron of the new city. Athena and Poseidon agreed to have the people decide by giving the newly born city one gift from each of them. Poseidon gave a salt water spring and Athena gave them an olive tree. Athenas gift was deemed much more useful therefore she won.


The city of Athens is named after which greek goddes?

Athens was named after the Greek Goddess Athena. In Greek mythology, she and Poseidon competed for the city. Zeus challenged them to create something that would be the most helpful to the people of the city. Poseidon created horse. Athena created the olive tree. Since the tree created both fruit and wood, she won.