Athena is the Greek goddess of wisdom and war strategy. She is one of the Twelve Olympians. Athena's symbol is the owl, the wisest of the birds. She also had a shield called Aegis, which was a present given to her by Zeus. She is often shown with her helmet on and with her shield, the shield later had Medusa's head on it, after Peresus slayed the her, he gave the head of Medusa to Athena for safekeeping who put the head on her shield.