Minerva was the Roman virgin goddess of poetry, medicine, strategic warfare, commerce, weaving, the crafts, wisdom, courage, inspiration, victory, war, law, civilization, bravery, heroism, protection, city state, family, justice, mathematics, science, technology, strength, strategy, the arts, and skill.
She was one of the most important deities within ancient Roman mythology and religion, alongside Jupiter, Juno, Mars, Apollo and Sol Invictus.
Overview
Minerva likely developed from the Etruscan goddess Menrva, but later she also absorbed characteristics from the Greek goddess Athena, such as that she was the daughter of Metis, who was a lover of Jupiter (for the Greeks Zeus), but was a swallowed by the chief god after a prophecy which claimed the son of Metis would overthrow him one day, similar to how he overthrew Saturn.
Minerva would be born inside Jupiter and cause headaches for the god, until he asked for Vulcan to spilt his head with an axe, which led to the goddess emerge out of his head. She would go on to become Jupiter's favourite daughter, and alongside him and Juno, one of the Capitoline Triad, the most important gods of the Roman state.
Like Athena, she got into a feud with the sea-god Neptune (originally Poseidon) over the city of Athens, as both deities wanted to be the patron of the city. Minerva won the favour of the people, who built a great temple for (the Parthenon). For revenge Neptune raped one of her priestesses, Medusa, within her temple, tarnishing it. Minerva punished Medusa for this, turning her into the gorgon-like monster that would eventually be slain by the hero Perseus.
She was also famous for the tale about confronting the maiden Arachne, an arrogant weaver from Lydia, who boasted about being better than the goddess of crafts and challenged Minerva into a weaving-competition. Arachne would always be turned into a spider at the end of this tale, but the reasons varied: some versions of the tale show her actually besting Minerva, who turns her into the spider out of spite, while others have Minerva win and turn Arachne into a spider out of punishment.
Like Athena, she was also often known to help heroes, such as her half-brother Hercules, Perseus, Bellerophon and Odysseus, during their quests.
With the rise of the Christian faith in the Roman Empire, the worship of the old gods was demonised by the new authorities. Minerva herself, alongside Orcus, Neptune, Diana and Genius, were demonised by Saint Eligius in a sermon. As the patron goddess of wisdom, Minerva frequently features in statuary, as an image on seals, and in other forms at educational institutions around the world, either as warrior-maiden or through her bird, the owl.
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