Why hestia is famous

Poets such as Apollodorous, Hesiod, and Ovid allude to her in their works. Each city had a public hearth that was sacred to Hestia; the fire kindled there was never allowed to go out. New colonies took fire from the hearth in the prytaneion also known as the town hall and kept the fires going in those new locations.

Every meal began and ended with an offering to Hestia. Like Athena and Artemis, Hestia was referred to as a virgin goddess. Although Apollo and Poseidon proposed marriage to Hestia, she requested of Zeus to remain a maiden forever. Domestic life was her dominion in spite of her desire to remain a virgin.

She was one of only twelve Olympian deities. Vesta was the Roman equivalent to Hestia. Public and private worship of Hestia was widespread. She represented communal security and personal happiness. Because Hestia remained a virgin, it follows that she had no children. If you use any of the content on this page in your own work, please use the code below to cite this page as the source of the content. Home » Greek Goddesses » Hestia. Greek Goddess of the Hearth and Domestic Life Hestia was the goddess of the hearth, home, architecture, domesticity, family, and the state.

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The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. She customarily received the first offerings in the ceremonies of the household such as marriage, birth, arrival of brides and of slaves.

Hestia means hearth fire place and the Goddess personified the sacredness and importance of the element. The fire in these city centers was always kept alive , and as per ritual, new settlers carried a flame from these places to propagate the sacred fire in their new towns. Know more about Hestia through these 5 most famous myths featuring her. In Greek mythology, Cronus or Kronos was the youngest of the first generation of Titans born out of Uranus the sky and Gaia the earth.

Cronus grew up to overthrow his divine father and taking his elder sister Rhea as wife, they ruled over what is known as the Golden Age. Cursed to meet the same fate as his father, Cronus became very insecure about his yet to be born children.

Hestia was the first born child of Cronus and Rhea. She was swallowed by her father Cronus who was afraid that his children might one day rise up against his authority, and thus fulfill the prophesy of his father Uranus. According to Greek myths Hestia was the eldest child of Cronus and Rhea, and was the first to be devoured by her father Cronus. The same fate befell on her other siblings Demeter, Hades, Poseidon and Hera , but the youngest of them Zeus was saved by their mother Rhea. When Zeus grew into manhood he was determined to restore his brothers and sisters.

He was assisted in this difficult task by the Metis Goddess of wisdom, thought and skill , who artfully persuaded Cronus to drink a potion , causing him to emit out what he had swallowed. The disgorged children were hence reborn again in reverse order, and Hestia who was emitted out last was now the youngest child.

As Hestia grew in grace and beauty she soon caught the eye of Poseidon God of sea and storm and Apollo God of war , and both the Gods sought her hand in marriage. Priapus was a minor god associated with fertility and lust. He was seen as a protector of life stock, fruits and the male sexual organ. A disinterested Hestia wandered away from the festivities and fell asleep in the woods.