The Family of Hera

Hera was born by the Titans Cronus and Rhea and was one of the three sisters of Zeus and later on became his wife as well.
The royal wedding of Zeus and Hera was celebrated with exceptional splendour and the couple gave birth to four children; Eilithyia, the goddess who was protecting the childbirth, Ares, the Olympian god of war, Hebe, the goddess of youth and Hephaestus, the Olympian god of metallurgy. According to some beliefs, Hephaestus was born without the intervention of Zeus.

Hera's troubled marriage with Zeus

Although Hera was one of the fairest goddesses in Mount Olympus, Zeus was giving Hera plenty of reason to be suspicious and jealous; Hera therefore used to stay in high places in order to keep an eye on her husband's doings. There were times she would also interfering, causing harm to Zeus' mistresses, since Zeus himself was invincible.

The Creation of the Milky Way

Most of all, Hera was in conflict with the semi-god and hero Heracles, since he happened to be the son of her husband Zeus and a mortal woman. According to a myth, Zeus once brought the infant to Hera to suckle on her milk while she was asleep, but she suddenly woke up and thrusted him away. The drops of the spurting milk became the Milky Way.

Appearance and Sacred Symbols

Hera was a beautiful-but not really desirable-, mature woman with big eyes and pierced lobes. She was wearing an ornate crown on her head, elegant clothes woven by Athena and tightened with a belt, and golden sandals were hugging her feet. Hera loved to wear jewellery and pamper her body with divine cosmetics.

Hera's symbol was the pomegranate, a symbol of fertility, and her sacred animal was the peacock.