Palladium
A chemical element named after both the asteroid Pallas and the Palladium, the sacred wooden image of Pallas Athena that protected the city of Troy
The Meaning of Palladium
Palladium was discovered in 1803 by the English chemist William Hyde Wollaston, who named it after the asteroid Pallas, which had been discovered the previous year. The asteroid itself was named after Pallas Athena, the goddess of wisdom. The name also evokes the Palladium, a sacred wooden statue of Pallas Athena that was said to protect whichever city possessed it. According to legend, Troy could not be conquered as long as the Palladium remained within its walls. During the Trojan War, Odysseus and Diomedes infiltrated the city and stole the Palladium, breaking Troy's divine protection and enabling its eventual fall. Various cities later claimed to possess the true Palladium: Athens, Argos, and Rome all asserted they held the genuine article. In Rome, the Palladium was said to be kept in the Temple of Vesta. The word "palladium" entered English as a metaphor for any safeguard or source of protection — "the palladium of our liberties" was a common eighteenth-century phrase. The element palladium is now essential in catalytic converters, electronics, and hydrogen purification.
Parents
None recorded
Symbols
Fun Fact
The word palladium means both a precious metal and a safeguard of liberty — two completely different meanings both tracing back to the same statue of Athena
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
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