Hera, known as Juno in Roman mythology, stands as the wife of Zeus and commands her stature as the queen among the pantheon of ancient Greek deities. She embodies the ideal of womanhood, acting as the goddess of marriage, family, and a guardian for women during childbirth. Although fiercely loyal to Zeus, Hera is infamous for her jealousy and vindictiveness, primarily directed at her husband’s numerous lovers and their offspring.
Family Dynamics
In the world of Greek mythology, Hera is the progeny of Cronus and Rhea. She shares her lineage with Ares, the god of war, Hebe, the goddess of youth, and Eileithyia, the goddess of childbirth— all children of Zeus. In a fit of resentment towards Zeus, who had fathered Athena alone, Hera also independently gave birth to Hephaistos, the god of metalworking. Unfortunately, due to his perceived ugliness, she tossed Hephaistos from Mount Olympus, causing him to become lame upon his descent to Earth. In other narratives, it was Zeus who cast him out due to the same deformity. Hephaistos harbored animosity towards Hera and imprisoned her in a special throne. It was only through her promise to give him Aphrodite’s hand in marriage that she was liberated.
The Betrayals of Zeus
Hera’s continual battle against Zeus’s infidelities often led her to exact fierce retribution. For instance, Leto faced Hera’s wrath after seeking refuge during her pregnancy, as Hera swore to curse any land that aided Leto. This led to Leto’s long search for sanctuary, culminating in Delos where she eventually gave birth to the god Apollo. Even at that moment, Hera took action to prolong her labor.
A popular myth involves Hera, Zeus, and Io, a priestess of hers and a former princess of Argos. Depending on the version, Hera either transformed Io into a cow to thwart Zeus’s advances or it was Zeus who made the change to disguise his interest in her. Upon her discovery, Hera took custody of the cow and assigned the watchful hundred-eyed Argos to guard Io. Ultimately, Hermes was tasked with lulling Argos to sleep and killing him. In memory of his watchfulness, Hera placed Argos’s hundred eyes on the peacock, a symbol of her power. To further torment Io, Hera sent a gadfly to perpetually harass her.
Hera’s jealousy also ensnared Semele, who had been manipulated into insisting that Zeus reveal his divine self, resulting in her destruction. Callisto, another of Zeus’s lovers, incurred Hera’s fury, which led Hera to transform her into a bear and subject her to Artemis’s huntress skills. In a moment of pity, Zeus immortalized Callisto as a constellation.
Hera’s revenge also targeted Alkmene, whose union with Zeus resulted in the birth of Hercules. In a bid to thwart Hercules, Hera delayed his birth to ensure that his cousin Eurystheus would ascend the throne of Tiryns. She unleashed peril on him by sending serpents during his infancy, instigating madness within him, leading to the death of his own family. Additionally, she assigned the twelve labors to Hercules, hoping each endeavor would spell disaster for him. Hera also instigated the Hydra of Lerna against his hometown and the Amazons encountered during his quest for Hippolyta’s girdle, breeding several of the fierce monsters Hercules was destined to confront, such as the Nemean lion and the Ladon dragon, guarding her sacred apple trees gifted by Gaia. Unlike many others, Jason, famed for his quest of the Golden Fleece, gained Hera’s favor after helping her while she was disguised and needing to cross a treacherous river.
Punishments for Infidelity
Other victims of Hera’s jealousy include Ixion, who faced eternal punishment on a spinning wheel in Hades for attempting to seduce her. Tityos received a similar fate, being bound to a rock where his liver was consumed daily by a vulture for the same offense.
Involvement in the Trojan War
Hera plays a prominent role in the Trojan War as depicted in Homer’s Iliad. A staunch supporter of the Achaeans, she collaborates with other deities to orchestrate the downfall of Troy, particularly due to her grudge against the Trojan prince Paris for favoring Aphrodite over her. The Iliad highlights three cities dear to her: Argos, Sparta, and Mycenae. According to the tale, she was nurtured by Ocean and Tethys while Zeus fought against Cronos. Homer often depicts Hera with epithets like ‘white-armed,’ ‘ox-eyed,’ and as ‘Hera of Argos.’ In Hesiod’s Theogony, she shares a similar identification.
Sacred Sites
Hera held a significant place in Greek worship. Argos, where a sanctuary was established in the mid-8th century BCE, served as her primary domain. Notably, she was also honored through a temple in Olympia, dating back to 650-600 BCE, with Tiryns manifesting as another essential cult site during the 7th century BCE. The island of Samos, considered by some as her birthplace, hosted cultic veneration since the mid-2nd millennium BCE and flourished through the 8th century BCE into the Roman era. Elis revered Hera, where coins depicting her were issued in the 5th and 4th centuries BCE. Various athletic competitions for women, called the Heraia, were conducted in her honor, alongside annual hierogamy ceremonies commemorating the marriage of Zeus and Hera.
Artistic Representations
As a pivotal deity, Hera frequently appears in ancient Greek art, especially on Attic pottery. However, her portrayal lacks distinct attributes that set her apart from other goddesses. Commonly, she is depicted seated on a throne, adorned with a crown (polos), wielding a royal scepter, and sometimes wearing a bridal veil. She may also be illustrated with a pomegranate, symbolizing fertility, alongside associations with symbols like the peacock and cuckoo—animals she is said to have kept on Olympus—and the lily flower.
Hera Transformed in Roman Culture
In Roman tradition, Hera found new life as Juno, embodying primarily the virtues of family and fidelity rather than her vengeful aspects. Juno became one of the most prominent deities within Roman religion, second to Jupiter and Minerva, and is regarded as a protector of Rome. The Matronalia festival, observed in June—which bears her name—marked a significant time for marriage within Roman society.
