Parthenon Project

   The Parthenon

Patron Goddess, Athena

Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, Love, Crafts, and War, was the most important and respected God among the Athenians.  Athena is depicted on both the East and West Pediments of the Parthenon.  The East Pediment portrays the Birth of

Athena while at the West is the contest between Athena and her Uncle, God of the Sea, Poseidon, to see who would become the patron god.  Both Gods had to present a gift and the best gift would determine who would be the patron god. 

The West Pediment depicts Athena and Poseidon at the center.  The two figures appear to be in the midst of a battle, in mid-action.  On either sides of the gods is a procession of people backing them up, perhaps representing the support of the Greek people.  

Athena Parthenos

 Mixing Doric & Ionic Elements...  

   The cella had a two story Doric colonnade around Phidias's statue of Athena while the back room which housed the treasury had four ionic columns.  The exterior of the Parthenon has a Doric frieze, while the inner frieze is ionic.  Perhaps the mixing of doric and ionic elements to make the Parthenon was meant to convey the fact that Athens was the leader of all Greeks.

I had never visited the inside of the Parthenon before this project, and found it very interesting how different styles of Doric and Ionic styles were mixed.  The mathematics for the making of the Parthenon also really intrigued me; the slight curvature of the floor of the temple, as well as the overall preciseness of the entire design.