Hera was the Goddess of marriage and birth. It is believed that once each year Hera would bath in the well Canathus which would restore her virginity. Hera was the daughter of Cronus and Rhea. She was also the sister and wife of the King of the Greek Gods Zeus. This made her the Queen of the Olympians.

Her children were not conceived by a union with Zeus. She would become pregnant either by eating lettuce or by slapping her hand on the ground. This would mean her children were not conceived out of love but out of lust and hatred. Zeus and Hera’s children were the “smith-god Hephaestus, the goddess of youth Hebe, and the god of war Ares.”

There was a prophesy that one of Cronus children would take over his throne. Cronus was afraid one of his children would fulfill this prophesy. When Hera was born she was quickly swallowed up by Cronus as was five other offspring’s to prevent her from fulfilling this prophesy. However due to a plan of Rhea Zeus was not swallowed up. Instead Rhea gave Cronus a stone wrapped up in a blanket and made him think this was Zeus. Rhea then hid Zeus from Cronus. Later Rhea gave Cronus an herb that she told him would make him invincible but in fact that was not what the herb was for at all. The herb made Cronus regurgitate all the other Olympians he had swallowed which included: Hera, Demeter, Hades, and Poseidon. He also threw up the stone he swallowed believing it was Zeus.

Hera was a very jealous Goddess and Zeus gave her plenty of opportunities to make her jealous. Whenever she discovered Zeus had been unfaithful to her Hera would take out her anger on either the female involved or if there was a child as a result she may put a curse on the child. Depending how angry she was she may even curse both the female and the child. Hera’s anger and wrath would be taken out of other Goddess or mortals. Hera was a beautiful Goddess but she was known for her jealous and vengeful nature. Paris chose Aphrodite as the most beautiful Goddess and Hera hated Paris for that.

Hera is portrayed as a royal, stately, serious woman. She was very powerful and Zeus was the only one that could stand up to her.