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SALVETE OMNES, S.V.B.E.V.

Does anybody know if the owl was a symbol of Minerva?
I haven't found a reference to the owl and Minerva yet.
Now does this have something to do with the Roman's fear of the strix?
Or are my research skills that lacking?

MULTAS GRATIAS VALETEQUE BENE!

Salve Garrule,

I thought it was commonly known, that the owl is a symbol of wisdom. Minerva herself is godess of wisdom, so it would be logical that she hads an owl as symbol?

I don't know which came first though, the owl as symbol of wisdom or Minerva who used the owl as symbol and thus making it symbol of wisdom.

I don't know anything about the Romans' fear of the "strix". In fact, I don't even know what strix means nor have I been able to find it in my dictionary

Vale bene,

This is one of the basics, like the eagle being Jove's. Now the peacock being sacred to Juno has to be a later attribution since peacocks would not have been in the Med area until 4th Century b.c.e. or later.

Strix is the screech owl. Apecific type of owl. I don't know which owls are in the Med countries, but I know there are a number of species. But don't get hung up on details, the ancients were as flexible, in day to day life, as contemporary folk are. One thing to kkep in mind with the screech owl is that screeching. All of a sudden, out of a quite night you hear that SCREEEECH! If it didn't have an official bad omen connected to it, the sudden thumping of your heart would assign one. I think a possible reason for the owl being connected to wisdom is the other type of owl. The ones that sit silently, looking at the world with those big, knowing eyes.

That's my two coppers.

Valete.

C. Aelius Ericius.
Roman.

Tiberius Dionysius Draco wrote:I thought it was commonly known, that the owl is a symbol of wisdom. Minerva herself is godess of wisdom, so it would be logical that she hads an owl as symbol?

Salvete omnes, and multas gratias Tiberius.
See that's what I always thought. What I am looking for is an example of iconography, on a coin or a statue, placing Minerva with an owl.
Valete bene.

Salvete omnes,

Here's a webpage I found :

http://dougsmith.ancients.info/feac67min.html

It mentions (and has pictures of) coins made during the reign of Domitianus with Minerva on one side and an owl on the other side. Some other examples show Minerva as well, but mostly dressed for war and without an owl, except for the Emesa mint (top of the page) where she is holding an owl in her right hand.

Through this webpage you can go to the main page as well, a pretty interesting site.

I hope that helped, valete bene
Lupus

Salvete amici.

Indeed, an interesting site, mi Lupe. Worth checking out.

I salute thee.

Salvete Marce et omnes!
Multas gratias! That is exactly what I was looking for.
Valete bene!

I think the stryx had a reputation for being able to foretell the future. I call there is a quote from Ovid about the stryx, something about it not being able to judge, perhaps someone remembers it. I think it ends

"...non arbitror."