There was, however, a separate temple of Hestia at Hermione, though it contained no image of her, but only an altar. The Romans worshiped the same goddess, or rather the same ideas embodied in her, under the name of Vesta , which is in reality identical with Hestia; but as the Roman worship of Vesta differed in several points from that of Hestia in Greece, q. In ancient art Hestia is portrayed as a chaste matron clothed in a long robe, veiled, and holding a scepter, torch, or lamp in her hand.
Phidias and Scopas are said to have made sculptures of Hestia but they remain unknown. This article incorporates text from Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology by William Smith, which is in the public domain. Send comments , cite this article. For other occurances of the name "Hestia", click here. Article created on Monday, March 3, Hestia The goddess of the hearth, or rather the fire burning on the hearth, was regarded as one of the twelve great gods, and accordingly as a daughter of Cronus and Rhea.
References Notes Hesiod. Theogony , ff. Hymn to Aphrodite , 22; Pseudo-Apollodorus. The Library i, 1. Hymn to Aphrodite , 24 ff. The Mycenean palaces had a megaron central hall which included an open porch and a throne room with a hearth. Hestia also extended her domain over the family and the home, as in Ancient Greece the hearth was such an important aspect to the home that the two became synonymous.
It was because of this association that Hestia became the Greek goddess of the home and domesticity. The family hearth also served as the religious center of the household. Via the hearth, one could send offerings and small sacrifices to Hestia. Besides, it was considered bad luck for the fire to go out, as it was seen as a sign that the goddess had removed her favor from the family. Greek women were expected to carefully tend to their family fire both in reverence for the goddess and for their own personal use.
Many Greek cities and states had their own patron god. For example, Athens had Athena. However, Hestia was the goddess of the state in general. Her domain tied back to the role of the hearth in public life and the idea of a city as an extended family.
Each city had a sacred fire dedicated to Hestia for use during festivals. The fire of this public hearth was also used for all state sacrifices and offerings.
The maintenance of the hearth was an important duty as an extinguished fire was a bad omen for the city. These prytaneia served as the religious and community centers for a city. Pindar refers to Hestia as the protector of these city halls.
Furthermore, the hearth at Delphi was seen as the public hearth for all of Greece Plutarch, Aristides Like many Greek goddesses, Hestia had a Roman equivalent; Vesta, the goddess of the hearth and home. According to Cicero , Hestia was also closely associated with the Penates , the Roman gods of the home. Similarly to how the Greeks would perform household offerings to Hestia, Romans worshiped the Penates in an analogous fashion.
The Roman goddess shared the same importance for the state and home as Hestia, especially through her priestesses, the Vestal Virgins. These priestesses took a year vow of celibacy, and getting buried alive being the punishment for being unchaste Ovid, Fasti VI. Celibate priestesses were designated to tend to the sacred fire of Rome.
If the fire were to extinguish, it was a bad omen for the Roman state. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Share Flipboard Email. Patti Wigington. Paganism Expert. Patti Wigington is a pagan author, educator, and licensed clergy. Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter.
Updated April 03, Did You Know? As a hearth goddess, Hestia was also known for her hospitality, and it was considered an offense against Hestia to turn a stranger away.
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