Last Update: 01 May 2021

Hera, the Goddess of Marriage

Hera was the goddess of Marriage and Family and the protector of married women.

Hera's Personality
An quarrelsome, sharp-eyed goddess with a vixenish temper.

Hera's troubled marriage with Zeus
Although Hera was one of the most beautiful goddesses Mount Olympus, Zeus gave Hera ample reason to be suspicious and jealous; Hera therefore used to stay in high places to keep an eye on her husband's doings. It also happened that she interfered and harmed Zeus' lovers, since Zeus himself was invincible.
Although Zeus showed no respect for marriage in general, he respected his wife as a person and often discussed things with Hera that he did not discuss with any other god.

Interesting Facts about Hera
Oddly enough, in addition to being a mother, Hera also embodied perpetual virginity, as she renewed her virginity annually by bathing in the spring of Canathus in Nauplia (Peloponnese/Southern Greece).
Hera was an Olympian goddess, but her place on Mount Olympus was not always assured. For example, Hera was once suspended by Zeus from Mount Olympus for sending a storm against the hero Heracles while he was on his way home after conquering Troy.
According to the Roman poet Ovid, the month of June was named in honor of Juno, the Latin counterpart of Hera, because the goddess was worshipped during this month. Since Hera was a goddess of marriage, many couples considered June to be the auspicious time to get married.

According to some ideas, the name "Hera" is derived from the ancient Greek word "Air", meaning "wind", as Hera was also a deity of wind and weather.

Appearance of Hera
Hera was a beautiful, mature woman with big eyes and pierced lobes. She always took care of her appearance, dressing elegantly and decently. However, Hera was not really a desirable woman, despite her beauty. For this reason, Aphrodite had to lend Hera her famous girdle to help her seduce her husband Zeus. _{[ More about Hera's beauty here...]}

Symbols of Hera
Hera's symbol were the diadem, the scepter and the pomegranate, a symbol of fertility. Her flower was the lily and her sacred animals were the peacock and the cow.