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Olympian Gods » Hestia, Goddess of Hearth and the Domestic Life

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picture of Hestia, Goddess of Hearth and the Domestic Life in Greek mythology

Detail of Hestia in an Attic red-figure clay vase, Museo Nazionale Tarquiniese Italy

Hestia's representationHestia was the goddess of the hearth, home and family.

Hestia photo gallery

Family of Hestia

Greek goddess Hestia was the eldest daughter of the titans Cronus and Rhea and a senior goddess among the mortals. [1]. She was the first to be swallowed by her father, but the last to be disgorged.

Hestia, the Virgin Goddess

Hestia was one of the three virgin goddesses, next to Athena and Hera. Both Poseidon and Apollo had wished to marry her; however Hestia had given the oath to Zeus to never enter into a union with a male and to remain forever pure and undefiled.

Worship of Hestia

Hestia personified the fire hat was burning in the hearth of every home. All families were pouring sweet wine in her name and dedicated her the richest portion. The hearth fire was not allowed to go out by any family unless it was ritually extinguished. Hestia herself was never leaving her residence, the sacred mountain of Olympus.
Hestia may not have had a public cult, but she was always worshipped in any temple, regardless of the god it was dedicated to. All Olympian deities respected and loved Hestia because of her kind, forgiving soul and her discrete character, since Hestia never participated in any disputes or wars.

Appearance and Sacred Symbols

A bashful woman, usually seated

The Roman name of Hestia is "Vesta"





Titles of Hestiaclick to expand

Hestia was referred to with the epithet(s):

  • Presveira("oldest")

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