Carrying on with our series on Greek gods and goddesses, today, we will take a detailed look into one of the most prominent members of the Greek pantheon, Hera. Here is everything you should know about the Greek goddess of women, her family, symbols, sacred animals, and plants.
Who is Hera in Greek Mythology?
Also known as the queen of the gods, Hera was the goddess of marriage, family, women, childbirth, and sky in Greek mythology.
She married her brother Zeus and was fiercely protective of her marriage. Known as a vengeful goddess, she would often punish those who she felt threatened her marriage, such as Zeus’ lovers and offspring, Heracles for example.
According to the myth, she asked King Eurystheus to order Heracles to fulfill 12 impossible labors as she wanted Heracles/Hercules dead.
Another person who witnessed and fell victim to Hera’s vengeance was Io, a beautiful young woman who Zeus seduced in the form of a white bull.
Hera became enraged when she found out about the affair and transformed Io into a cow. Io was kept in captivity by Hera for many years until she was finally released by Zeus.
Hera’s counterpart in Roman mythology is Juno.
Hera’s Family Tree – Who are Hera’s Parents and Siblings?
Hera was one of the daughters of Titans Cronus and Rhea. She had three brothers; Poseidon, Hades, and Zeus, and two sisters; Demeter and Hestia.
She was the mother of some important figures in Greek mythology such as the Greek god of blacksmiths and the forge, namely, Hephaestus/Hephaistos, Ares, Hebe, Eris, Angelos, Arge, Charites, Enyo, Eileithyia, and Eleutheria.
Hera Symbol List – What are the Symbols of Hera?
Fittingly for the queen of gods, Hera’s two main symbols are royal scepters and thrones. Diadems (ornamented crowns), panthers, cows, and peacock feathers are among other symbols of Hera.
Hera’s Sacred Animals
Lions, peacocks, cows, and cuckoo birds are the sacred animals of Hera. Her chariot is depicted to be drawn by peacocks in some artworks.
Hera’s Sacred Plants
Willow trees, water lilies, lotus flowers, and pomegranates, which represent fertility, are the sacred plants of Hera.
This wraps up our post on the Greek goddess of women and marriage, Hera, her family, symbols, sacred animals, and plants. If you liked reading the piece, you should probably check out our post on another prominent Greek goddess, Demeter, and her symbols here. Alternatively, you might enjoy reading our detailed round-up post on Greek god symbols here. Thanks for reading with us.