The interior of Athena's shield

The scene depicted on the interior of the shield is a Gigantomachy, a battle between the Olympian gods and the Gigants, born of the Earth, who attempted to dethrone them. Athena can be made out a bit to the left of the handle of the shield. Like the other mythological battles on Athena (and on the exterior of the Parthenon), the Gigantomachy likely was meant to be taken as an analogue for the Greek/Athenian victory in the Persian wars. Greeks: Persians :: Olympian Gods : Giants. In all cases the forces of order & reason triumph.