Beginning of Project- Gathering Facts

• Athena was known as Minerva to the Romans
• Goddess of crafts and the domestic arts and also those of war.
• Zeus was once married to Metis, a daughter of Ocean who was renowned for her wisdom. When Metis became pregnant, Zeus was warned by Earth that a son born to Metis would overthrow him, just as he had usurped his own father's throne. So Zeus swallowed Metis. In time he was overcome with a splitting headache and summoned help from the craftsman god Hephaestus (or, some say, the Titan Prometheus). Hephaestus cleaved Zeus's forehead with an ax, and Athena sprang forth fully armed.
• Patron goddess of Athens.
• Her symbol was the owl.
• Originally the great goddess in the form of a bird. Now known as the goddess of wisdom.
• Athena aided the heroes Perseus, Jason, Cadmus, Odysseus and Heracles in their quests.
• Both Athena and Poseidon wanted to be patron deity of Athens. To prove her worthiness for the honor, Athena caused an olive tree to spring up on the citadel of Athens, the Acropolis. Poseidon sought to outdo her by striking the ground with his trident and causing a spring of water to gush forth. But as he was god of the sea, the water was salty. Athena's gift to the Athenians was considered to be more useful, so she became the city's patron deity.
• Athena aided Perseus in defeating Medusa because she wanted a gorgon's head on her shield.

All of the above is from: http://www.mythweb.com/gods/athena.html