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Hera
Queen of the Gods Goddess of marriage, women, marital harmony, and the protector of women during childbirth
Member of the Twelve Olympians
The Campana Hera, a Roman copy of a Hellenistic original, from the Louvre
Major cult center	Argos, Mycenae, Samos
Abode	Mount Olympus
Animals	Cow, cuckoo, peacock
Symbol	Pomegranate, sceptre, crown (polos or diadem)
Personal information
Parents	Cronus and Rhea
Siblings	Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, Hestia, Zeus
Consort	Zeus
Children	Angelos, Arge, Ares, the Charites, Eileithyia, Eleutheria, Eris, Hebe, Hephaestus
Equivalents
Roman equivalent	Juno

Part of the central section-East frieze of Parthenon, Elgin Marbles-British Museum

In ancient Greek religion, Hera (/ˈhɛrə, ˈhɪərə/; Greek: Ἥρα, translit. Hḗrā; Ἥρη, Hḗrē in Ionic and Homeric Greek) is the goddess of marriage, women, and family, and the protector of women during childbirth. In Greek mythology, she is queen of the twelve Olympians and Mount Olympus, sister and wife of Zeus, and daughter of the Titans Cronus and Rhea. One of her defining characteristics in myth is her jealous and vengeful nature in dealing with any who offended her, especially Zeus's numerous adulterous lovers and illegitimate offspring.

Her iconography usually presents her as a dignified, matronly figure, upright or enthroned, crowned with a polos or diadem, sometimes veiled as a married woman. She is the patron goddess of lawful marriage. She presides over weddings, blesses and legalises marital unions, and protects women from harm during childbirth. Her sacred animals include the cow, cuckoo, and peacock. She is sometimes shown holding a pomegranate as an emblem of immortality. Her Roman counterpart is Juno.

Etymology

The name Hera (Hēra or Hērē) has several possible and mutually exclusive etymologies. One possibility is to connect it with Greek ὥρα hōra, season, and to interpret it as ripe for marriage and according to Plato ἐρατή eratē, "beloved" as Zeus is said to have married her for love. According to Plutarch, Hera was an allegorical name and an anagram of aēr (ἀήρ, "air"). So begins the section on Hera in Walter Burkert's Greek Religion. In a note, he records other scholars' arguments "for the meaning Mistress as a feminine to Heros, Master ", with uncertain origin. John Chadwick, a decipherer of Linear B, remarks "her name may be connected with hērōs, ἥρως, 'hero', but that is no help since it too is etymologically obscure." A. J. van Windekens, offers "young cow, heifer", which is consonant with Hera's common epithet βοῶπις (boōpis, "cow-eyed"). R. S. P. Beekes has suggested a Pre-Greek origin. Her name is attested in Mycenaean Greek written in the Linear B syllabic script as 𐀁𐀨 e-ra, appearing on tablets found in Pylos and Thebes, as well as in the Cypriotic dialect in the dative e-ra-i.

The PIE... could be originally either (a) 'the female who is attached/coupled' or (b) 'the female who attaches herself'... both socially and physically or emotionally."

Epithets

Hera bore several epithets in the mythological tradition and in literature. In the historical times the majority of the Greeks recognized Hera as the consort of Zeus.. Hera is the protector of marriage and of the rights of the married women.. In some cults she has some functions of the earth goddess. She is occasionally related to warfare as tutelary goddess.

Goddess of marriage and bride

• Γαμήλιος (Gamēlios), 'preciding over marriage'. A sacrifice to Hera ensured a happy married life.
• Γαμηστόλος (Gamēstόlos), 'leading the troop of marriage'.
• Νυμφευομένη (Nymphevomenē), 'led as a bride' at Plataea, in relation to her festival Daedala.
• Νυμφη (Nymphē), 'bride'.
• Παρθένος (Parthénos) 'Virgin'
• Παρθενία (Parthenia),
• Παῖς (Pais) 'Child' (in her role as virgin) at Stymphalus.
• Συζύγιος (Syzygios) 'patroness of marriage'
• Τελεία (Teleia) 'bringing the fulfillement of marriage'.
• Ζυγία (Zygia), 'yoke of marriage'. Her husband Zeus had also the epithet Zygius (Ζυγίος).
• Χήρα (Chḗrα) 'Widowed' at Stymphalus.

Consort of Zeus

• Ανασσα , ( Anassa) ,' Queen' .
• Ἀμμωνία (Ammonìa), at Elis related to Zeus-Ammon
• Βασίλεια (Basíleia) 'Queen' at Ialysus in Rhodes
• Βασιλίς (Basilis) 'Queen' at Libadia and Argos.
• Διώνη (Diōnē) as the consort of Zeus at Dodona.
• Ηνιόχη (Hēniochē), at Libadia . She was worshipped together with "Zeus-Basileus".
• Ολυμπία (Olympia) ,with an altar near the altar of Olympian Zeus.
• Σκηπτούχος (Skēptouchos),'bearing a sceptre' (Queen).

Founder and protector

• Αρχηγέτις (Archēgetis), 'founder', leader of the settlement at Samos.
• Ἀκραῖα (Akraìa) '(She) of the Heights (Akropolis)'
• Βουναία (Bounaia) '(She) of the Mound' (in Corinth)

As an earth and fertility goddess

• Ἄνθεια (Antheia), meaning flowery at Argos and Miletos .
• Βοῶπις (Boṓpis) 'Cow-Eyed'. probably a form of the earth-goddess.
• Γή (Ge), 'Earth' by Plutarch in a passage of Eusebius.
• Ευεργεσία (Euergesia), 'doing a good service'
• Ζευξιδία (Ζeuxidia),'yoking the oxen' at Argos.
• Πάμφοιτος (Pamfοιtos) 'repeatedly coming'. (Pamfoitos Anassa)
• Φερέσβιος (Pheresbios) 'life giving'. by Empedocles (Plutarch) .
• Ωρόλυτος (Hōrolytos) at Samos as the controller of the seasons and times of the year (Horae)

As goddess of the hymns

• Εὑκέλαδος (Εukelados), 'well sounding, melodious'.
• Προσυμναία (Prosymnaia), 'goddess of the hymn' at Argos.

Place of worship

• Ἀργείη (Argeìē) '(She) of Argos'. Hera was probably the goddess of the palace.
• 'Ιμβραση (Imbrasē) after the river Imbrasus at Samos.
• Κανδαρηνή (Kandarēnē) at the city Kandara of Asia-Minor.
• Κιθαιρωνία (Κithairōnia) 'of the mountain Kithairon' in Boeotia, in relation with her fest Daedala.
• Λιμανία (Limanìa) ' of the harbour' at Perachora near the Isthmus of Corinth.
• Πελασγίς (Pelasgis) at Iolcus. A sacrifice was performed to Hera by Pelias.
• Σαμία (Samia), with a famous temple at Samos.
• Φαρυγαία (Pharygaia) at the city Pharygae of Locris.

Warlike character

• Ἀλέξανδρος (Alexandros) 'Protector of Men' (among the Sicyonians). Her cult was founded by Adrastus.
• Οπλοσμία (Oplosmia) 'bearing arms or shield' at Elis
• Προδρομία (Prodromia), 'running forward' at Sikyon.
• Τροπαία (Tropaia), 'giver of victory'

Local cults

• Αἰγοφάγος (Aigophágos) 'Goat-Eater' among the Lacedaemonians
• Εἰλείθυια (Eileithyia) at Argos and Athens as goddess of childbirth. In Theogony Εileithyia is the daughter of Hera.
• Ἐλεία (Eleía) 'of the marsh' at Cyprus.
• Θελξινία (Thelxinìa) at Athens.
• Θεομήτωρ (Theomētōr) 'mother of a god' at Samos.
• Ἱππία (Hippia), 'of the horse' at Olympia.
• Λακίνια (Lacinia) at Croton.
• Λευκώλενος (Leukōlenos) 'White-Armed'
• Μειλίχιος (Meilichios), 'gentle', like "Zeus-Meilichios" at Selinus.
• Μηλιχία (Μēlichia) 'gentle, with gentle words' at Hierapetna.
• Τελχινία (Telchinia): Diodorus Siculus write that she was worshipped by the Ialysians and the Cameirans (both were on the island of Rhodes). She was named thus because according to a legend, Telchines (Τελχῖνες) were the first inhabitants of the island and also the first who created statues of gods.
• Ὑπερχειρία (Ηypercheiria), 'with the hand above' at Sparta.

Origins

In the historical times the majority of the Greeks recognized Hera as the consort of Zeus. Zeus was the protector of rights and mores and his partner Hera became the protector of the legal marriage and of the rights of the married women .. It seems that Hera emerged from a form of the "Mycenean goddess of the palace" and then she became spouse of Zeus. Modern scolars suggest that Hera is not only the Olympian sky-goddess, but in some cults she may be identified with the earth-goddess. Her ancient connection with the "cow" still existed in the historical times. This propably relates her to Near-Eastern forms of cow-goddesses like Hathor (or Bat). . The Greek earth-goddess Gaia is occasionally identified with Hera. Gaia may be related to the Vedic earth-goddess Prithvi, who was associated with the cow. Io the heifer-priestess of Hera at Argos is probably another form of Hera.

Mycenean Greece

An inscription written in Linear B on a tablet found at Pylos mentions offerings "to Zeus-Hera-Drimios".(Drimios is the son of Zeus) .. Hera was the tutelary goddess of Argos and it is possible that she had Mycenean origin. Martin P. Nilsson suggested that Hera is mainly the "Argeiē" (Ἀργείη), a name given by Homerwhich describes her not as a Greek, but as an Argive goddess. She is the protector of the citadel. .. In literature Argos is called "dōma Hēras" (the house of Hera) and the Argives are called her people by Pindar. Homer in Iliad uses the formula "boōpis potnia Hērē)" (cow-eyed, mistress Hera), which probably relates her to a form of the Mediterranean goddess of nature. Walter Burkert notices that it is difficult to confirm that the epithet "bowpis" corresponds to a Greek belief. . However it is possible that Hera was conceived as a cow in her archaic cults.

Consort of Zeus

Hera exists as a spouse of Zeus and their "sacred marriage" was celebrated in many Greek festivals in a processional ceremony from ancient times . The myth of the premarital approach of Hera by Zeus is early mentioned by Homer .. It is possible that the myth has its origins to an old custom of the European country population, the premarital intercourse of the engaged couple. Walter Burkert notices that "the disappearance and retrieval of Hera has parallels with other fertility cults" . Hera was originally a goddess of fertility in her fest "Toneia" at Samos and at Knossos in Crete. At Samos the image of Hera was hidden bounted in willows and the participants tried to discover it" At Knossos Zeus is mating with the earth goddess (finally named Hera) in a very ancient ritual. In her festival Daedala at Plataia there is an account of Hera's quarell with Zeus and their reconciliation.

Near-Eastern origin

In Crete the bull was associated with religious practices. In the legend of the Minotaur the Queen of Knossos is hidden inside an artificial hollow cow and she is mating with a bull-form god in a sacred ceremony. The hieros gamos indicates a ritual of fertility magic, which was probably introduced from Near East in the Aegean region. . The "hieros gamos" of Zeus with the earth goddess (finally named Hera) was celebrated at Knossos in Crete. . In Near East the solar-deity and the moon-goddess are oftenly represented as a bull and a cow and Roscher proposed that Hera was a moon-goddess. The combination feminine divinity-cow-moon is not unusual in Crete and Near East. The relationship of Hera with the cow still existed in the historical times and this propably relates her to Near-Eastern forms of cow-goddesses like Hathor (or Bat).

Indo-european origin

In the Vedic tradition the earth-goddess Prithvi is the consort of the sky-god Dyaus and she is associated with the cow. Prithvi may be identified with the Greek goddess Gaia. Pherecydes of Syros in his cosmogony describes the mating of two divine principles: The marriage of Zas with Chthonie. Geoffrey Kirk notices that after the marriage "Cthonie" becomes Ge who probably takes charge of the protection of marriage. Hera is occasionally identified with "Ge". In a fragment of Euripides the Aether of Zeus is the sky-god who is the father of men and gods, and the earth-goddess Ge is the mother of all life. It seems that Io the priestess of Hera at Argos and consort of Zeus, was another form of Hera. In a Greek myth "Io" is tranformed into a cow .

t that Io the heifer-priestess of Hera at Argos, is another form of Hera. Samos excavations have revealed votive offerings, many of them late 8th and 7th centuries BCE, which show that Hera at Samos was not merely a local Greek goddess of the Aegean. The museum there contains figures of gods and suppliants and other votive offerings from Armenia, Babylon, Iran, Assyria, and Egypt, testimony to the reputation which this sanctuary of Hera enjoyed, and the large influx of pilgrims. Compared to this mighty goddess, who also possessed the earliest temple at Olympia and two of the great fifth and sixth-century temples of Paestum, the termagant of Homer and the myths is an "almost... comic figure," according to Burkert.

The Temple of Hera at Agrigento, Magna Graecia.

Though the greatest and earliest free-standing temple to Hera was the Heraion of Samos, in the Greek mainland Hera was especially worshipped as "Argive Hera" (Hera Argeia) at her sanctuary that stood between the former Mycenaean city-states of Argos and Mycenae, where the festivals in her honor called Heraia were celebrated. "The three cities I love best," the ox-eyed Queen of Heaven declares in the Iliad, book iv, "are Argos, Sparta and Mycenae of the broad streets." There were also temples to Hera in Olympia, Corinth, Tiryns, Perachora and the sacred island of Delos. In Magna Graecia, two Doric temples to Hera were constructed at Paestum, about 550 BCE and about 450 BCE. One of them, long called the Temple of Poseidon was identified in the 1950s as a temple of Hera.

The Daedala fire festival on Cithaeron near Plataea, included an account of Hera's quarrel with Zeus and their reconciliation.

Hera's importance in the early archaic period is attested by the large building projects undertaken in her honor. The temples of Hera in the two main centers of her cult, the Heraion of Samos and the Heraion of Argos in the Argolis, were the very earliest monumental Greek temples constructed, in the 8th century BCE.

Temples of Hera

Plan of the Temple of Hera (Olympia):Heraion

First temple of Hera, Paestum (Basilica)

• Perachora, Corinth. One from the earliest Greek temples was the temple dedicated to Hera Akraia at Perachora, built in the 9th century BC. The dimensions of the plan were 5,50x8,00m. A teracotta house-temple model indicates that it was an upsidal building with one room. The walls were made fom small stones and dried bricks. Τhere were two pairs of (probably wooden) columns, and the high-peaked roof was covered with straws.

• Olympia. The Heraion was built in late 7th century BC (620 BC) . It was a Doric style peripteral temple measured 18,75x50,01m at the stylobate. The number of the originally wooden pteron columns was 6x16 (hexastyle). Τhe wooden columns were later replaced with columns from limestone. The temple had pronaos, cella, and the oldest known opisthodomos. The porches were distyle in antis. A colossal head of a woman, is probably a part of a statue dedicated to Hera. It was made from limestone.
• Corfu. The Archaic temple of Hera was built in 610BC. Large terracotta figures such as lions and gorgoneions decorated the roof of the temple. The temple was completely destroyed by fire in the 5th century BC.
• Samos. The older Heraion was built in 560 BC. It was a dipteral temple with Ionic order features. It measured 50,50x103,00 m at the stylobate and the number of pteron columns was 10x21. The temple formed a unit with the monumental altar of Hera to the east, which shared its alignment and axis. It was constructed partly of limestone and partly of marble. Herodotus calls Rhoecus of Samos its first architect. It was the first of the massive Ionic temples.

Heraion of Samos. A reconstruction of the "Polycrates temple" (front view)

• Samos. The new Heraion was built in 525 BC and it is called the "Polycrates temple". The temple measured 54,58x111,50m at the stylobate. It was dipteral on the flanks and tripteral at the ends. The outer row had 8x24 columns except that at the back there were nine columns. The forms of the capitals resembled the ones at Ephesus, but the volutes were wider.

• Selinus. The Doric temple E (temble of Hera) was built in 490 BC. It measured 25.32x67.82m at the stylobate and the number of pteron columns was 6x15. The porches were distyle in antis

Selinunte-TempleE- Temple of Hera

• Paestum. The first temple of Hera ,the so-called "Basilica", was built in the early 6th century BC. It was an extraordinary building with a central row of inner columns. The Doric style temple measured 24,52x54,30m at the stylobate, and the number of pteron columns was 9x18. There were three columns in antis in its porch.

• Paestum. A Doric temple dedicated to Hera (the so called temple of Poseidon) was built in the first half of the 5th century BC and is usually placed later than Parthenon. The temple measured 24,3X60,00 m at the stylobate. It was an hexastyle structure and the number of pteron columns was 6X14. The temple was also used to worship Zeus and another deity, whose identity is unknown.

Agrigento-TempleD-of Hera

• Agrigento. The temple of Hera (Juno Lacinia) was a Doric style peripteral building, built in 450 BC. It measured 16,90X38,15m at the stylobate and the cella measured 9.45x28,00m. The number of pteron columns was 6X13.

• Argos. The predecessor of the Heraion was built in late 7th century BC and has left little traces. The long stoa of the Heraion is dated from the late 7th to 6th century B.C.E.
• Argos. The new Heraion was built in c.410BC after the burning of its predecessor in 423BC. It measured 17,40x38,00m at the stylobate and the dimensions of the cella were c.10,00xc.27,00m. The number of pteron columns cannot be specified.

Marriage with Zeus

Marble statue of Hera, 2nd century, Cyprus Museum, Nicosia.

Hera is the goddess of marriage and childbirth rather than motherhood, and much of her mythology revolves around her marriage with her brother Zeus. She is charmed by him and she seduces him; he cheats on her and has many children with other goddesses and mortal women; she is intensely jealous and vindictive towards his children and their mothers; he is threatening and violent to her.

In the Iliad, Zeus implies their marriage was some sort of elopement, as they lay secretly from their parents. Pausanias records a tale of how they came to be married in which Zeus transformed into a cuckoo to woo Hera. She caught the bird and kept it as her pet; this is why the cuckoo is seated on her sceptre. According to a scholion on Theocritus' Idylls, when Hera was heading toward Mount Thornax alone, Zeus created a terrible storm and transformed himself into a cuckoo who flew down and sat on her lap. Hera covered him with her cloak. Zeus then transformed back and took hold of her; because she was refusing to sleep with him due to their mother, he promised to marry her.

In one account Hera refused to marry Zeus and hid in a cave to avoid him; an earthborn man named Achilles convinced her to give him a chance, and thus the two had their first sexual intercourse. According to a version attributed to Plutarch, Hera had been reared by a nymph named Macris on the island of Euboea, but Zeus stole her away, where Mt. Cithaeron "afforded them a shady recess." When Macris came to look for her ward, the mountain-god Cithaeron drove her away, saying that Zeus was taking his pleasure there with Leto.

God council in Olympus: Zeus and Hera throning, Iris serving them. Detail of the side A of an Attic red-figure belly-amphora, ca. 500 BC.Staatliche Antikensammlungen, Munich

According to Callimachus, their wedding feast lasted three hundred years. The Apples of the Hesperides that Heracles was tasked by Eurystheus to take were a wedding gift by Gaia to the couple.

After a quarrel with Zeus, Hera left him and retreated to Euboea, and no word from Zeus managed to sway her mind. Cithaeron, the local king, then advised Zeus to take a wooden statue of a woman, wrap it up, and pretend to marry it. Zeus did as told, claiming "she" was Plataea, Asopus's daughter. Hera, once she heard the news, disrupted the wedding ceremony and tore away the dress from the figure only to discover it was but a lifeless statue, and not a rival in love. The queen and her king were reconciled, and to commemorate this the people there celebrated a festival called Daedala. During the festival, a re-enactment of the myth was celebrated, where a wooden statue of Hera was chosen, bathed in the river Asopus and then raised on a chariot to lead the procession like a bride, and then ritually burned.

According to Diodorus Siculus, Alcmene, the mother of Heracles, was the very last mortal woman Zeus ever slept with; following the birth of Heracles, he ceased to beget humans altogether.

Judgment of Paris

Main article: Judgement of Paris

Judgement of Paris.Side B from an Attic black-figure neck amphora, 540-530BC. Metropolitan Museum of Art

A prophecy stated that a son of the sea-nymph Thetis, with whom Zeus fell in love after gazing upon her in the oceans off the Greek coast, would become greater than his father. Possibly for this reason, Thetis was betrothed to an elderly human king, Peleus son of Aeacus, either upon Zeus's orders, or because she wished to please Hera, who had raised her. All the gods and goddesses as well as various mortals were invited to the marriage of Peleus and Thetis (the eventual parents of Achilles) and brought many gifts. Only Eris, goddess of discord, was not invited and was stopped at the door by Hermes, on Zeus's order. She was annoyed at this, so she threw from the door a gift of her own: a golden apple inscribed with the word καλλίστῃ (kallistēi, "To the fairest"). Aphrodite, Hera, and Athena all claimed to be the fairest, and thus the rightful owner of the apple.

This is one of the many works depicting the event. Hera is the goddess in the center, wearing the crown. Das Urteil des Paris by Anton Raphael Mengs, ca. 1757

The goddesses quarreled bitterly over it, and none of the other gods would venture an opinion favoring one, for fear of earning the enmity of the other two. They chose to place the matter before Zeus, who, not wanting to favor one of the goddesses, put the choice into the hands of Paris, a Trojan prince. After bathing in the spring of Mount Ida where Troy was situated, they appeared before Paris to have him choose. The goddesses undressed before him, either at his request or for the sake of winning. Still, Paris could not decide, as all three were ideally beautiful, so they resorted to bribes. Hera offered Paris political power and control of all of Asia, while Athena offered wisdom, fame, and glory in battle, and Aphrodite offered the most beautiful mortal woman in the world as a wife, and he accordingly chose her. This woman was Helen, who was, unfortunately for Paris, already married to King Menelaus of Sparta. The other two goddesses were enraged by this and through Helen's abduction by Paris, they brought about the Trojan War.

The Iliad

English: Hermes, Athena, Zeus (seated), Hera and Ares (all named). Side A of an Attic black-figure neck-amphora, end of 6th century BC. BnF Museum, Paris

Hera plays a substantial role in The Iliad, appearing in several books throughout the epic poem. She hates the Trojans because of Paris's decision that Aphrodite was the most beautiful goddess, and so supports the Greeks during the war. Throughout the epic, Hera makes many attempts to thwart the Trojan army. In books 1 and 2, Hera declares that the Trojans must be destroyed. Hera persuades Athena to aid the Achaeans in battle and she agrees to assist with interfering on their behalf.

In book 5, Hera and Athena plot to harm Ares, who had been seen by Diomedes in assisting the Trojans. Diomedes called for his soldiers to fall back slowly. Hera, Ares's mother, saw Ares's interference and asked Zeus, Ares's father, for permission to drive Ares away from the battlefield. Hera encouraged Diomedes to attack Ares and he threw his spear at the god. Athena drove the spear into Ares's body, and he bellowed in pain and fled to Mount Olympus, forcing the Trojans to fall back.

In book 8, Hera tries to persuade Poseidon to disobey Zeus and help the Achaean army. He refuses, saying he doesn't want to go against Zeus. Determined to intervene in the war, Hera and Athena head to the battlefield. However, seeing the two flee, Zeus sent Iris to intercept them and make them return to Mount Olympus or face grave consequences. After prolonged fighting, Hera sees Poseidon aiding the Greeks and giving them the motivation to keep fighting.

In book 14 Hera devises a plan to deceive Zeus. Zeus set a decree that the gods were not allowed to interfere in the mortal war. Hera is on the side of the Achaeans, so she plans a Deception of Zeus where she seduces him, with help from Aphrodite, and tricks him into a deep sleep, with the help of Hypnos, so that the Gods could interfere without the fear of Zeus.

In book 21, Hera continues her interference with the battle as she tells Hephaestus to prevent the river from harming Achilles. Hephaestus sets the battlefield ablaze, causing the river to plead with Hera, promising her he will not help the Trojans if Hephaestus stops his attack. Hephaestus stops his assault and Hera returns to the battlefield where the gods begin to fight amongst themselves. After Apollo declines to battle Poseidon, Artemis eagerly engages Hera for a duel. Hera however treats the challenge as unimportant, easily disarming the haughty rival goddess and beating her with her own weapons. Artemis is left retreating back to Mount Olympus in tears to cry at Zeus's lap.

Bibliography

• Bremmer, Jan N. (2008). Greek Religion and Culture, the Bible, and the Ancient Near East. BRILL. ISBN 978-9004164734.
• Burkert, Walter (1998). Greek religion. Cambridge, Mas: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-36281-9.
• Elderkin, G. W. (1937-07-01). "The Marriage of Zeus and Hera and Its Symbol". American Journal of Archaeology. 41 (3). University of Chicago Press: 424–435. doi:10.2307/498508. ISSN 0002-9114. JSTOR 498508. S2CID 191415446.
• Leeming, David; Fee, Christopher (2016). The Goddess: Myths of the Great Mother. Reaktion Books. ISBN 978-1-78023-538-7.
• O'Brien, Joan V. (1993). The Transformation of Hera: A Study of Ritual, Hero, and the Goddess in the Iliad. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-0-8476-7808-2.
• Dietrich Bernard Clive (1974) The origins of the Greek religion[1] ,Walter de Gruyter ISBN 311 0 003 9826
• G.S Kirk, J.E Raven, M.Schofield (1983) The Presocratic philosophers ,fc. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0 521 27455 0.
• Nilsson
• West, Martin Litchfield (2007), Indo-European poetry and myth, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-928075-9

Temple of Apollo Thermon

Temple of Apollo Thermios

Ναός Θερμίου Απόλλωνα
Shown within Greece
Alternative name	Temple of Apollo-Thermon
Location	Thermo, Aetolia-Acarnania, Greece
Region	Aetolia
Coordinates	38°33′34″N 21°40′5″E
Type	Sanctuary
Length	12.13m (40 f)
Width	38.23m (126 f)
History
Material	Wooden structure
Founded	640-630BC
Site notes
Management	36th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities
Public access	Yes
Website	Thermos
Doric order , 5X15 pteron columns

Painted terracotta metopes from Thermos (temple of Apollon) in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens

The Temple of Apollo Thermios (Greek: Θέρμιος) also known as Thermos (Greek: Θέρμος) is a Greek temple in Thermon of Aetolia in West Greece. The sanctuary served as the regular meeting place of the Aetolian League. It is considered to be the oldest temple in Greece which was built with elements of the Doric order.

Description

Parts of an Ancient Greek temple of the Doric Order:
1. Tympanum, 2. Acroterium, 3. Sima 4. Cornice 5. Mutules 7. Frieze 8. Triglyph 9. Metope
10. Regula 11. Gutta 12. Taenia 13. Architrave 14. Capital 15. Abacus 16. Echinus 17. Column 18. Fluting 19. Stylobate

It seems that the temple was built with the aid of the Corinthians who were considered the inventors of the Doric order. The building is considered the earliest Greek temple with Doric elements. The peripteral temple of Apollo Thermios has a remarkable ground plan. It measured 12,13 X38,23 m at the stylobate and the number of pteron columns was 5x15 (angle columns are counted twice). It is considered narrow even for an archaic temple and had a central row of inner columns. The dimensions of cella with porches and adyta were c.4,60X c.32,00 M.

The first of the inner row of columns stood in antis in the the opening between the side walls of the cella and the gaps on each side of it were closed by wooden doors. There was an opisthodomus, of double the usual depth,with a single column in antis, and one more column behind it. It seems that the columns were originally of wood, which was gradually replaced with stone. (Robertson)

Comparisons with theDoric order

Ναός Απόλλωνα, Θέρμο 0298

Ναός Απόλλωνα, Θέρμο 0323

Thermon Temple of Apollo from S

Painted terracotta metopes from Thermos (temple of Apollon) in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens

Painted terracotta metopes from Thermos (temple of Apollon) in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens