Athena's Parents
Athena was born to a very powerful family. Her father was Zeus (shown left), king of the gods and god of the sky, and her mother was Zeus’ first wife Metis, the Greek goddess of wisdom. Both Zeus and Metis were the offspring of Titans. Greek Titans were the preceding generation of the Greek gods who lived on Mount Olympus, including Athena, Zeus, and Metis.
Zeus was the son of Cronus, the ruler of the Titans, and the Titaness, Reah, who was Cronus’ wife and considered to be the goddess of motherhood. Cronus was warned by his mother Gaia, Greek Titaness and goddess of the Earth, that one of his children would be powerful enough to overthrow him as king of the gods. Cronus greatly feared this prophesied fate. As a result of this worry, every time that he would impregnate his wife, Reah, he would eat the child immediately after they were born. Saddened by the loss of her five previous children who were devoured, she decided to save her last child, named Zeus. She gave birth to her youngest son in secret, and tricked Cronus into eating a rock swaddled in baby’s clothing while she hid the baby Zeus.
The young child grew up to be a very powerful god. He even deceived his father to take a sip of a drugged drink, which caused Cronus to retch out all of Zeus’ siblings. Zeus and his siblings then waged war on the Titans, and ended their reign. Just as predicted by Cronus’ mother, Zeus overthrew his father and established himself as king of the gods.
Zeus was the son of Cronus, the ruler of the Titans, and the Titaness, Reah, who was Cronus’ wife and considered to be the goddess of motherhood. Cronus was warned by his mother Gaia, Greek Titaness and goddess of the Earth, that one of his children would be powerful enough to overthrow him as king of the gods. Cronus greatly feared this prophesied fate. As a result of this worry, every time that he would impregnate his wife, Reah, he would eat the child immediately after they were born. Saddened by the loss of her five previous children who were devoured, she decided to save her last child, named Zeus. She gave birth to her youngest son in secret, and tricked Cronus into eating a rock swaddled in baby’s clothing while she hid the baby Zeus.
The young child grew up to be a very powerful god. He even deceived his father to take a sip of a drugged drink, which caused Cronus to retch out all of Zeus’ siblings. Zeus and his siblings then waged war on the Titans, and ended their reign. Just as predicted by Cronus’ mother, Zeus overthrew his father and established himself as king of the gods.
Conception and Birth
The similarities between the stories of Zeus’ birth and his daughter Athena’s birth are very interesting. Soon after Metis was impregnated by Zeus, Metis’ parents, the Titans Oceanus and Tethys, forewarned Zeus that Metis’ child would possess strength and wisdom that would challenge his own. Zeus was frightened that his child would rebel and use his predicted power against him, as Zeus did to his own father. Zeus decided that he would need to prevent the birth of this possibly formidable opponent.
The Greek gods were thought to have been able to transform into any form they wished, generally by turning into animals. Zeus tricked Metis into converting to the form of a fly, and then Zeus swallowed her in this easily edible form. Zeus believed that he successfully avoided the birth of his potentially threatening child. However, one day, Zeus experienced an intolerable pain in his head. In order to find the cause and hopefully end the agony, Zeus requested that his son Hephaistos, Greek god of metalworking and fire, cut open his head. After Hephaistos complied with his father’s demand, an adult Athena dressed in full armour jumped out of her father’s head. Her mother, Metis, never returned after being devoured by Zeus.
The Greek gods were thought to have been able to transform into any form they wished, generally by turning into animals. Zeus tricked Metis into converting to the form of a fly, and then Zeus swallowed her in this easily edible form. Zeus believed that he successfully avoided the birth of his potentially threatening child. However, one day, Zeus experienced an intolerable pain in his head. In order to find the cause and hopefully end the agony, Zeus requested that his son Hephaistos, Greek god of metalworking and fire, cut open his head. After Hephaistos complied with his father’s demand, an adult Athena dressed in full armour jumped out of her father’s head. Her mother, Metis, never returned after being devoured by Zeus.
Zeus' Favorite Daughter
Athena was often described in Greek mythology as “Zeus’ favourite daughter.” The exact reason for why Zeus favoured her over his other children is unclear, but perhaps he simply had great respect for her eagerness to join in battle from the day of her birth and her cunning war strategies. As a result of Zeus’ affection for Athena, he would occasionally allow her to use his famous thunder bolts as weaponry in battle. Zeus also gave Athena the Aegis (shown left) as a gift. The Aegis was a cloak that was made of the skin of the goat that raised Zeus. The love Athena received from her father may have been part of the reason for why she never rebelled against her father.