Hera Greek Goddess - 10 Interesting Facts - Greek Myths and Legends (2024)

In Greek mythology, Hera was the child of the Titans Cronus and Rhea, the sister-wife of Zeus, and the queen of the Olympian gods. She was the goddess of women, marriages, motherhood, and family, and she was popularly known as a matriarch figure who administered marriage and other significant social rites.

This article will walk you through some of the most fascinating facts about Hera Greek goddess.

10 interesting facts about Hera

Hera was popularly known as a vengeful wife.

Despite Zeus‘ regular absences from the marital bed, Hera held her wedding vows pure, and she was always faithful to her husband. Because of it, she was named the goddess of marriage and dominance.

Despite Hera’s devotion to Zeus, he had multiple adulterous romances with other deities and mortal women. As a result, Hera was frequently portrayed as a harassing, obsessive, and controlling wife. Owing to her intense detestation of marital adultery, she was recognized to be a deity who persecuted adulterers.

Hera played a significant part in the history of the Trojan War.

Eris, the goddess of discord, offered a golden apple during dinner.

Then, whichever deity Paris chose to be the fairest—Hera, Aphrodite, or Athena—would be awarded the apple. Paris picked Aphrodite as the most beautiful goddess.

Hera was irritated by the judgment, and resolved to repay Paris. She would do all in her might to see Troy devastated during the battle. She even chastised her son Ares from the battleground when she learned he was battling for the Trojan army.

Hera was deceived by Zeus into marriage

Zeus was captivated by Hera since she wasone of the finestimmortals. Hera, on the other hand, rejected his approaches. Zeus was well aware of Hera’s fondness for creatures and other beings. He dressed up as a crow, hovered outside her windows, and appeared to be in pain from the cold.

Hera felt sorry for the bird and brought it inside, holding it to her chest to keep it warm. Zeus then returned to his human form and molested her. She consented to marry Zeus because she was embarrassed about being exploited.

Hera was known as one of the best-looking immortals.

See Also

HERA - Greek Goddess of Marriage, Queen of the GodsThe Goddess Hera in Greek MythologyHera: Greek Goddess Of Love And Marriage - Mythos GreeceSummary of the Olympian Goddess

Greek Goddess Hera is frequently considered the most attractive of the goddesses. She took enormous delight in her looks and emphasized it with pure gold footwear, carriage, and palace. She was also wearing a shining cylinder crown that enhanced her beauty.

Her possessive disposition caused her to become enraged when she sensed someone was threatening her beauty. Antigone, Laomedon’s daughter, bragged that her hair was more stunning than Hera’s. Hera transformed Antigone’s hair into snakes in a moment of rage. She also carried a grudge against Paris for declaring Aphrodite to be more beautiful than her.

There is a festival held as a way to honor her.

An all-female athletic festival known as the Heraia was conducted in several towns in ancient Greece every four years. The festival consisted of running races for single women. The race, however, was just one-sixth the length of its men’s counterpart. A group of sixteen ladies officiated over the festivities. The games would start after these ladies had woven a garment for Hera. As part of the festivity, olive leaf crowns and a piece of the cow offered to Hera are given to the victorious winner. They were also allowed to devote sculptures to Hera with their names carved.

Oceanus and Tethys, the ocean deities, raised Hera.

When Hera was a child, the ocean deities Oceanus and Tethys raised her. Fearing that her father Cronus might harm her, her mother Rhea handed Hera to Tethys and Oceanus to protect. At the time, Zeus was in the midst of a tremendous battle to topple the Titans.

Oceanus, the river deity, and his wife Tethys, the sea goddess, became connected with the sea. Hera had pleasant memories of her adoptive parents and even attempted to reunite them later in life when they were in conflict. Oceanus and Tethys were marital positive role models, and it was the reason why Hera stayed faithful to Zeus through his infidelity.

When Hera was furious, she would transform humans into animals and monsters.

In contrast to Zeus, who used to change himself to become an animal to lure beautiful women, Hera used to transform beautiful women into monsters when she was upset to get back at the woman with whom his husband had an affair.

Zeus once had a romance with Lamia, a beautiful queen of Libya whom Zeus admired and slept with. Hera’s jealousy drove Lamia to slaughter her kids; in her grief, Lamia was made into a deformed beast who would abduct and kill other people’s children. When Hera discovered Zeus’ adultery with Callisto, the daughter of Arcadia’s king, her vengeful jealousy prompted her to transform Callisto into a bear.

Hera was born after her father had devoured her.

Cronus, together with his wife Rhea, defeated his father Uranus and controlled the world. However, he was prophesized that one of his offspring would replace him, just as he had conquered his father. Cronus had multiple children with Rhea, including Hera, but he devoured them all when they were born.

When Rhea gave birth to her sixth child, Zeus, she concealed him in a cavern and instead handed Cronus a rock covered in his garments, which he devoured. When Zeus reached the age of maturity, he dressed as an Olympian cup-bearer, laced his father’s drink with poison, and deceived him into drinking it. Cronus then disgorged Zeus’ siblings.

The pomegranate is a divine fruit shared by Hera and Persephone.

The pomegranate was known to have a significant meaning in ancient Greece. Accepting Hades’ pomegranate meant that Persephone had to travel to the Underworld at a certain point.

This fruit, on the other hand, was a sign of prosperity for Hera, who is also the goddess of childbearing.

Hera kept her virginity every year.

Hera was a goddess of wedding, virginity, and family life who was honored by the Greeks. Her temples were widespread across Greece, and people respected her for her affiliations.

Although she was wedded to Zeus, she was honored as a virgin divine. She was able to keep her virginity by restoring it every year at Kanathos’ Spring. The procedures and rituals employed to preserve her virginity were kept hidden and unknown.

Virginity, on the other hand, is associated with the Moon and Hera. The three deities, Hera, Hebe, and Hecate, are the full moon, new moon, and old moon.

Hera Greek Goddess Final Word

Hera was known asthe immensely strong Queen of Olympus, and a significant goddess. The Greek women worshipped Hera for safety during pregnancy, healthy life, and prosperity at their weddings. She also had control over the skies and could either bless people with good weatheror condemn them with a storm.

Although she may be vindictively jealous and punish women for her husband’s infidelity, we can’t deny that Hera remained faithful to her husband. Hera is an excellent role model for marriages, which is why she is known as the goddess of marriage.