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Gender Roles In The Greek Gods Of War

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In Greek mythology, there are many gods and goddesses, but only twelve hold a seat on Mount Olympus. Each of these twelve have their own dominions and powers that summarize a human's life: from childbirth to love to death. Most Olympian gods do not have overlap, but two gods specifically share the mortal realm of war. Ares and Athena, are both Olympian gods of war and children of Zeus, but they differ on the battlefield and in the gender roles they set for mortals.

Ares and Athena share power over war activities, but they each have specific roles. Ares is god of courage and brutality in warfare. Always shown head to toe in armor, no hero would dare face the wild fury of Ares alone. His half-sister, Athena, holds dominion over war strategy and war politics, "Athena was the prudent goddess of war. Unlike Ares, she did not love …show more content…

Ares, the son of Zeus and Hera, was born naturally and inherited many of his father's masculine qualities such as dominance and brutality. Due to this, Ares became the god of brutal war. In contrast, Athena was born from an affair between Zeus and the Titan, Metis, and has a more interesting origin story. It was prophesied that Metis would bare powerful children, and if the first born was a male, he would overthrow Zeus (Morford, et al.). Afraid of this, Zeus swallowed the pregnant Metis before she could give birth, but later, a terrible headache overcame Zeus. According to one of her Homeric Hymns, Athena was born from Zeus' headache:

Zeus the deviser himself bore [Athena] from his august head, wearing weapons of war shining, golden. And awe held all the immortals who saw her … Great Olympos was shaken dreadfully by the fearful strength of the grey-eyed goddess … and the glorious son of Hyperion stood his swift-footed horses long enough for the maiden, Pallas Athena, to take the divine weapons from her immortal shoulders. And Zeus the deviser laughed. (To Athena 28

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