Athena and Eden: The Hidden Meaning of the Parthenon's East Facade [Paperback]

Jr., Robert Bowie Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 7, 2002

Athena and Eden is a landmark book, revealing the surprising identity of Athena and unlocking the long-hidden meaning of the sculptures which graced the east facade of her famous temple, the Parthenon. The Greek myths tell us much about the sculptures, but the key to their correct interpretations lies elsewhere. Of all places, we find it in the Scriptures, particularly the Book of Genesis. The simple secret is that the Book of Genesis and the Parthenon sculptures tell the same story from opposite viewpoints.

Welcome to this provocatively unique exploration and reconstruction of the east facade of Athena's great temple: the Greeks' masterful monument to the serpent's side of Eden.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Author and educator Robert Bowie Johnson, Jr. offers the non-specialist general reader a unique, accessible, and provocative look at -- Reviewer's Choice, The Midwest Book Review (September 2002)

About the Author

Robert Bowie Johnson, Jr. is an author, teacher, and public speaker. Athena is the guardian goddess of his alma mater, West Point. His previous book, Publishing Basics: A Guide for the Small Press and Independent Self-Publisher, is also available at Amazon.com

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Solving Light Books (May 7, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0970543816
• ISBN-13: 978-0970543813
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,958,020 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing book, October 30, 2004

By 

Craig Scott (Cary, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Athena and Eden: The Hidden Meaning of the Parthenon's East Facade (Paperback)

If you know who "the prince of the power of the air" is then you will probably find this book very interesting. I came across the book almost by accident on an Amazon list and found it to be very well reasoned and argued.

The author's main idea is that greek myth and religion consists of a retelling of the story of mankinds origins (familiar to us through the first 12 chapters of the Bible) from a greek or humanist point of view. Wow, he got me right there!

The book shows how many of the seminal events of human history such as the original sin, the murder of Abel, the flood etc. were depicted on the sculptures decorating the Parthenon. However, they have almost the opposite meaning and sentiment as the biblical depiction.

If you are interested in ancient history and how it intersects with the bible you will love this book. I bought the author's second book Athena and Kain. It supposes to make the same basic points looking at a wider selction of Greek myth than found solely on the Parthenon. However, as many follow up books do it spends a lot ot time covering material from the previous book. That's ok if you have not read the previous volume but tedious if you already have.

The book is also well illustrated.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Revealing!, June 10, 2002

By 

Lisa Ann Marone (St Pete Beach , FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Athena and Eden: The Hidden Meaning of the Parthenon's East Facade (Paperback)

Mr. Johnson clearly reveals the hidden meaning of the Parthenon's east facade by simply mirroring the scriptures. The text is so easy to read and concisely written that it is impossible to deny the simplicity of this revelation. I couldn't put the book down. It's obvious that Mr. Johnson has done very thorough research on this subject. I look forward to his next enlightening publication!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A truly enlightened perspective., June 3, 2002

By 

Mark Wadsworth (Church Hill, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Athena and Eden: The Hidden Meaning of the Parthenon's East Facade (Paperback)

I finished reading Athena and Eden: The Hidden Meaning of the Parthenon's East Facade a few days ago, and would recommend this book to anyone interested in an entirely new view of these ancient sculptures. It's more than another history lesson, and more than another dose of re-hashed mythology. This book has substance.