Athena Polias

Temple Since there was a gate on the entrance to it, the entire acropolis at Athens was considered a tenemos to Athena. On the acropolis were the main buildings of the Erechtheum and the Parthenon, but also many other smaller shrines and temples to other gods and incarnations of Athena herself. One of the key features of the acropolis is the Great Altar, measuring 15 meters wide and 8.5 meters deep.

The Erechtheum

Built in the fifth century B. C. E Built in the fifth century B.C.E., the Erechthum housed the fist of three major statues of Athena located in the acropolis, Athena Polias herself. “The Statue of Athena Polias was probably life-sized and seated, of olive-wood, and very ancient, so ancient and crudely shaped that some thought it had fallen from the sky, others that Cecrops and Erechtheus had made it.” (Mikalson 71) On the statue was a woven peplos, or sacred rope, the presentation of which was part of a festival we will get to later in the presentation.

The Parthenon

Parthenos (virgin) was a non functional descriptive epithet added to Athena Polias. “That makes it most probable that the parthenon was as it were a treasury building of the Athena Polias cult – one exceptionally large and beautiful and possessing an exceptionally beautiful dedication in Phidias's statue, but still, in terms of sanctuary design, more a building for storage then for worship. The cult that the Parthenon “supported”, both physically and by its sculpture was that of Athena Polias with her Great Alter, Erechtheum, and Sacred Olive Tree.”(Mikalson 71)

Inside of the parthenon was the statue of Athena Parthenos, a statue dedicated to Athena Polias.  It was a massive statue of Athena standing and holding a shield and dressed in for war, and in her right hand holding the goddess Nike (victory). The gold on Athena Parthenos was estimated to weigh over 1000 kilograms.The cult of Athena was very rich, taking in 1/60 of all the tribute paid to the city by subject states. At the height of Athens this amounted to ten talents, worth about $6,000,000 today.

The final of the main three statues was Athena Promachos. A promachos was the designation of a soldier on the front line of a phalanx. Very warlike, holding a spear and shield and armored, this statue stood 9 meters tall and was made of bronze, and was created after the victory at Marathon over the persians in 450 B.C.E.

The Panathenaia Once a year the Athenian cult celebrated their most important festival, the Panathenaia. Once every four years this festival was increased in size and importance, making it much like the Olympic Games. The Panathenaia was held to celbrate Athena Polias's birthday on Hekatombion 28, in the summer. Including games and contests, it peaked with the Panathenaic procession and the presentation of the sacred peplos to Athena.

The Games The games held at the yearly festival allowed only Athenian participants, but the games once every 4 years were expanded to include international competitors. The games included music and poetry contests, as well as athletic events such as races. While the prizes for music and poetry could be very large sums of money, most prized were the vases of olive oil (as Athena had given the Athens the olive tree. These vases were so valuable that winners were commonly buried with their vases.

The central piece of the festival was the worship and sacrifice to Athena on the great alter. Athenians and even foreigners and freed slaves processed together up the acropolis to the alter where giant sacrifices were made to Athena on her birthday. As the animals were sacrificed hymns were sung and prayers said. 100 animals were sacrificed at an estimated cost of over $500,000, though at its peak over 300 could have been used in the ritual. After the sacrifice concluded the meat was eaten in a feast by all those in attendance.

Most likely after the feast was the presentation of the new sacred peplos to the Athena Polias statue. The robe was woven by young girls all year and covered with scenes of mythic battles.

The Athenians worshiped Athena as their patron god, their protector The Athenians worshiped Athena as their patron god, their protector. She gave them the olive, their central economic source of wealth, is credited with inventing chariots and bridals for them to make. She also was their military protector. As shown in Athena Parthenon and Athena Promachos she stood watch over the city to protect it from its elements. She also gave the Athenians their justice system so they might be a just society.