| Description |
xviii, 175 pages : illustrations ; 21 cm. |
| Series |
Gods and heroes of the ancient world |
|
Gods and heroes of the ancient world.
|
| Note |
Includes bibliographical references (p. [162]-169) and index. |
| Contents |
WHY ATHENA? -- INTRODUCING ATHENA -- Who was Athena? -- Confronting diversity -- Athena and her attributes -- The scope of this book -- Note on spelling and translations -- KEY THEMES -- 1. THE BIRTH OF ATHENA -- Introduction: hardly a headache -- Antecedents -- Capturing the moment -- Cosmic terror: the Homeric Hymn to Athena -- The succession myth and the defeat of the mother -- Overview -- 2. TRACING ATHENA'S ORIGINS -- Introduction: do origins matter? -- Athena, matriarchy and the goddess movement -- Bachofen and 'mother-right'-- 'Snake' and 'shield goddess' -- Criticising the matriarchy myth -- Warrior goddesses of the ancient world: ancestresses of Athena? -- Overview -- 3. FROM ORIGINS TO FUNCTIONS: ATHENA IN THE PANTHEON -- Introduction: confronting the pantheon -- The 'new way': the functionalist paradigm -- Athena and Poseidon: the horse and the sea -- Athena and Hephaistos: skilled craft -- Athena and Ares: war -- Overview: a key to Athena? -- 4. HEROES, HEROINES AND THE TROJAN WAR -- Introduction: helping friends, harming enemies -- Heroes on quests -- Odysseus and Herakles -- 'The Zeus-born Trojan girl' -- Mythic females: helping men, harming women -- Overview -- 5. ATHENA IN ATHENS: PATRON, SYMBOL AND 'MOTHER' -- Introduction -- Athena, Zeus and social cohesion -- Poseidon and the contest for the land -- Athena's 'children': the story of the birth of Erichthonios -- Overview -- 6. EARLY ATHENIAN HISTORY -- Introduction -- The 'Mistress of At(h)ana' and the Mycenaean Palace -- The synoecism -- 566 and all that: the sixth century -- The Persian invasion -- Overview -- 7. ALL ABOUT ATHENA? THE CLASSICAL AKROPOLIS -- Introduction -- After the War -- Unity and imperialism -- Prettifying the city: the Parthenon -- Overview -- 8. THE WIDER GREEK WORLD -- Introduction -- Moving beyond Athens -- Sparta: the bronze house and the bells -- Argos: 'clear-sighted Athena' -- Arcadia: a fertility goddess? -- Delphi and elsewhere: the conception and protection of children -- Assimilatons: Anat and Minerva -- Overview: a multiplicity of Athenas? -- ATHENA AFTERWARDS -- 9. FROM BEING TO IMAGE: THE RISE OF CHRISTIANITY AND THE POSTCLASSICAL WORLD -- Introduction: moving beyond antiquity -- From pagan abomination to ethical symbol -- Allegory and symbolism -- Literary Athenas -- Feminism and gender theory -- Overview. |
| Summary |
In this definitive assessment of the various representations and approaches to Athena, Susan Deacy does what no other has done before and brings all the aspects of this legendary figure into one, outstanding study. A survey of one of the most enduringly popular of ancient deities, the book introduces Athenas myth, cult and reception, while directing the reader to detailed discussion as and when it is appropriate. Students will find it a great help in their studies, and for the general reader with an interest in the ancient world and for those from related disciplines such as literature, art history and religion, it provides a mine of information and insight into this fascinating classical figure. |
| Subjects |
Athena (Greek deity)
|
| LC NO |
BL820.M6 D43 2008 |
| Dewey No |
292.2/114 22 |
| OCLC # |
162145982 |
| ISBN |
9780415300650 (hardback : alk. paper) |
|
0415300657 (hardback : alk. paper) |
|
9780415300667 (pbk. : alk. paper) |
|
0415300665 (pbk. : alk. paper) |
|
9780203932148 (ebk.) |
|
0203932145 (ebk.) |
| Isn/Std # |
(OCoLC)162145982 |
| LCCN |
2007031417 |
|
