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Why did the ancient Athenians dedicate the temples on the Acropolis of Athens to the goddess Athena?
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acropolis of Athens
View of the acropolis in Athens with the Parthenon (upper center right).
The ancient Athenians dedicated the temples on the Acropolis to the goddess Athena because she was their patron deity. Athena was the goddess of war, handicraft, and practical reason, and she gave Athens its name and protection. The Athenian Acropolis was built as a home for Athena, the city's protector. The Parthenon, the chief shrine on the Acropolis, was dedicated to Athena Parthenos, meaning "Athena the Virgin". Athena was chosen as the patron goddess after a contest with Poseidon, where her gift of the olive tree was favored by the citizens over Poseidon's saltwater spring.1234