Athena Parthenos
Colossal gold-and-ivory statue of Athena housed in the Parthenon.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Athena Parthenos (Ancient Greek: Παρθένος Ἀθηνᾶ, lit. 'Athena the Virgin') was a monumental chryselephantine sculpture of the goddess Athena, attributed to the sculptor Phidias and dated to the mid-fifth century BCE. It served as the cult statue of the Parthenon, funded from the Delian League treasury, and the naos of the Parthenon was not designed exclusively to accommodate it—the temple also served other religious and civic functions. The statue was lost at an unknown date sometime in the first millennium, but several replicas and works were inspired by the original.
- height
- Approximately 11.5 meters (26 cubits per Pliny the Elder, not including base)
Lore & Background
The statue was likely built around a core of cypress wood, then paneled with gold and ivory plates, a standard chryselephantine technique. At about 11.5 meters high (26 cubits, as recorded by Pliny the Elder for the statue alone, not including the base), it reflected the High Classical style in clothing and leg position. Athena was helmeted and held a large round shield at her side or resting on the ground, with a spear in her left hand, and her sacred snake coiled inside the shield or at the base of the statue. Clothes, jewellery, accessories, and even the statue base were decorated, mainly with the snake and gorgon motif. Many artists and craftsmen worked on its realization under Phidias's supervision. The location of the workshop where the statue was made is known from archaeological evidence: it was on the south slope of the Acropolis. The statue was constructed from separately crafted gold and ivory panels on a wooden core, perhaps first mounted in the workshop, then dismantled, moved to the Parthenon after its completion, and installed in its final place. The cost is recorded as 700 talents by Thucydides. The gold used weighed 40 talents, as recorded by Thucydides. The statue was considered an ultimate financial reserve, as the gold could be melted down if necessary.
Reader's Guide
The Athena Parthenos was not a statue of worship—there was no priestess of Athena Parthenos—but an offering from the city to the goddess, housed in the Parthenon, which was designed as a treasury for it. The statue's construction was part of Athens's ambitious rebuilding program after the Persian ransacking of the Acropolis in 480 BCE, funded by the Delian League treasury relocated to Athens by 454 BCE. The statue was completed and consecrated in 438 BCE. Primary ancient sources about the statue are writings by Pausanias and Pliny the Elder; Pausanias is the originator of the surname 'Parthenos.' The statue's legacy endures through numerous replicas and inspired works, though the original was lost in the first millennium. Its pedestal, a parallelepiped in poros, is the only preserved element, with a carved plaque on its front evoking the birth of Pandora in the presence of twenty gods—the only decorative element not subsequently copied.
Did You Know?
- The statue's gold was considered an ultimate financial reserve for Athens, as it could be melted down if necessary.
- The weight of gold used was 40 talents, as recorded by Thucydides.
- A large basin of water in front of the statue helped maintain humidity to conserve the ivory and reflected light to illuminate the work.
- The statue was constructed from separately crafted gold and ivory panels on a wooden core, a standard chryselephantine technique.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Athena Parthenos?
It was a colossal cult statue of the goddess Athena that stood inside the Parthenon on the Athenian Acropolis. The city of Athens dedicated it to its patron deity, and the temple's inner chamber was purpose-built to fit the figure.
Who sculpted the Athena Parthenos?
The work is traditionally credited to Phidias, the foremost sculptor of classical Athens. Because the original no longer exists, the attribution depends on ancient literary testimony rather than surviving physical evidence.
What materials was the Athena Parthenos made from?
It used the chryselephantine technique, combining gold leaf and carved ivory panels over a structural core of cypress wood. This construction gave the figure a luminous, flesh-like surface while keeping the overall mass practical for a temple floor.
How tall was the Athena Parthenos?
Ancient sources such as Pliny the Elder record a height of roughly 26 cubits, equivalent to about 13 meters including the base. That made it one of the tallest free-standing cult statues produced in the classical Greek world.
What happened to the original Athena Parthenos?
The statue vanished at some point during the first millennium CE, and the precise circumstances of its loss remain unknown. No complete original survives, though later copies and detailed literary descriptions have let scholars reconstruct its general appearance.
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