Dr Archana Verma
Minerva on a Roman Gilt Silver Bowl 1st century BCE/Wikimedia
Minerva is the Roman goddess of strategic warfare, rulership, wisdom, justice, music, medicine and arts and crafts. From 2nd century BCE onwards, she subsumed the characteristics of the ancient Greek goddess Athena. She is show as wearing a helmet and carrying a quiver and staff. She became an important goddess in the Roman empire. As in the case of the Indian Goddess and the Greek goddesses Artemis and Athena and the Roman goddess Diana, Minerva was also a virgin goddess.
The Romans celebrated her festival from 19th to the 23rd of March. During time, festivities were observed and plays were staged with music.
Menrva was an Etruscan goddess of war, justice, arts and crafts and rulership. It is thought that the Romans took her characteristics and harmonised them with Greek Athena to conceptualise Minerva.
Global Perspectives... 
