- Minerva
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/mi nerr"veuh/, n.1. the ancient Roman goddess of wisdom and the arts, identified with the Greek goddess Athena.2. a woman of great wisdom.3. a female given name.
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She was commonly identified with the Greek Athena. Some scholars believe that worship of Minerva began when Athena's cult was introduced at Rome from Etruria. Minerva was one of the Capitoline triad, along with Jupiter and Juno, and her shrine in Rome was a meeting place for craftsmen's guilds. The worship of Minerva attained its greatest vogue under the emperor Domitian, who claimed her special protection.* * *
▪ Roman goddessin Roman religion, the goddess of handicrafts, the professions, the arts, and, later, war; she was commonly identified with the Greek Athena. Some scholars believe that her cult was that of Athena introduced at Rome from Etruria. This is reinforced by the fact that she was one of the Capitoline triad, in association with Jupiter and Juno. Her shrine on the Aventine in Rome was a meeting place for guilds of craftsmen, including at one time dramatic poets and actors.Her worship as a goddess of war encroached upon that of Mars. The erection of a temple to her by Pompey out of the spoils of his Eastern conquests shows that by then she had been identified with the Greek Athena Nike, bestower of victory. Under the emperor Domitian, who claimed her special protection, the worship of Minerva attained its greatest vogue in Rome.* * *
Universalium. 2010.