Rhodeia
Oceanid nymph associated with roses and the rosy hue of dawn-lit waters
The Myth of Rhodeia
Rhodeia was a daughter of Oceanus and Tethys listed by Hesiod in the Theogony among the elder Oceanids. Her name connects to the Greek word rhodon, meaning rose, linking her to the flower sacred to Aphrodite and symbolic of beauty throughout the ancient world. Some scholars associate her with the island of Rhodes, whose very name derives from the same root and which claimed to have risen from the sea crowned with roses. Rhodeia embodied the quality of rose-tinted waters seen at dawn and dusk when sunlight colors streams and springs with warm hues. She stands among the more poetic members of Hesiod's Oceanid catalogue.
Parents
Oceanus and Tethys
Symbols
Fun Fact
The chemical element rhodium gets its name from the same Greek root as this rosy Oceanid nymph
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Ianthe
🌿 nymphViolet flowers, spring
Oceanid nymph associated with violet-colored blossoms and the beauty of spring meadows
Aegle
🌿 nymphlight, healing
A nymph whose name means "radiance" — identified variously as a Hesperid, a daughter of Asclepius, or the most beautiful of the Naiads.
Maera
🌿 nymphSparkle, shimmering light on water
Nereid sea nymph whose name means "the sparkling one," associated with the glittering play of light on the sea
Polyxo
🌿 nymphStars, nursing
One of the Hyades nymphs and nurse of Dionysus, transformed into a star for her devoted care of the god
Agaue
🌿 nymphSplendour, nobility of the sea
Nereid sea nymph whose name means "the illustrious one," representing the noble majesty of the ocean
Rhode
🌿 nymphthe sea, islands
A sea nymph, daughter of Poseidon and Amphitrite (or Aphrodite), who gave her name to the island of Rhodes.
Idyia
🌿 nymphKnowledge, Colchis
Oceanid nymph known as the knowing one and queen of Colchis beside King Aeetes
Ianeira
🌿 nymphEnchantment, captivating charm
Nereid sea nymph whose name means "she who enchants men," personifying the alluring fascination of the sea
Okyrhoe
🌿 nymphSwift flowing water
Oceanid nymph whose name means swift flow and who personified fast-running streams
Chloris
🌿 nymphGoddess of flowers, wife of Zephyrus
Chloris was a nymph whom Zephyrus (the west wind) abducted and married, making her the goddess of flowers — the Romans called her Flora.
Electra
🌿 nymphclouds, rain, rainbows
An Oceanid nymph, daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, who married the sea god Thaumas and bore Iris the rainbow goddess and the Harpies.
Eudora
🌿 nymphGood gifts, generosity
Oceanid nymph whose name means good gifts and who represented the bounty of fresh water