Hera

Hera was the eldest daughter of Kronos and Rhea, swallowed by her father at birth and later freed by Zeus. She became Zeus's wife and queen of Olympus, presiding over marriage and the sanctity of the family bond.

Despite her role as goddess of marriage, Hera's own union was tumultuous. Zeus's countless affairs drove her to legendary acts of vengeance — not against Zeus himself, but against his lovers and their offspring. She persecuted Heracles from birth, drove Io across continents as a cow, and delayed the birth of Apollo and Artemis.

Yet Hera was also a powerful and respected deity in her own right. Her great temple at Argos was one of the most important in Greece, and the Heraia, an athletic festival for women, was held in her honor at Olympia.