Greek Mythology 101: Who is Hestia?

Here, we delve into both the well-known and lesser-known figures of Greek mythology, helping you get a better grasp on the intricacies of the myths at large. Welcome to Greek Mythology 101! Today’s topic: the protector of the home, Hestia.

General Info

A goddess that is often forgotten by the modern world at large, Hestia was one of the original Olympians, a child of the Titans Rhea and Kronos. However, she gave up her seat on Olympus to Dionysus and instead relegated herself to the shadows.

Her domain is the hearth, which is where the fire was kept in the home. Nowadays you might consider a hearth to simply be a fireplace, but in Ancient Greece it was sacred, central to domestic activities and considered the heart of the home. 

As the goddess of the hearth, which also happened to be the place of the sacrificial fire, Hestia always received the first offering of every domestic sacrifice.

Symbols & Sacred Animals

It should come as no surprise that Hestia’s primary symbol is fire. A hearth isn’t much of a hearth without fire burning inside it, after all, and because the hearth is where many domestic activities took place, cooking being the most prominent, another of Hestia’s symbols is the kettle.

As for her sacred animal, that would be the pig. The pig was a common agricultural animal in Ancient Greece and directly linked to domestic sacrificial offerings. It was typically a part of a pig (usually the head) that was tossed into the fire for Hestia at the beginning of a meal. The pig also symbolized domesticity and devotion to the home.

Relationships

There’s not much to say about Hestia when it comes to relationships. 

She was the first born of the original six gods and thus the first to be swallowed by Kronos, but the last to be disgorged. So, she is either called the eldest or the youngest of the children of Kronos depending on who is telling the story.

Hestia was also a virgin goddess. She never married and never had any children. 

Final Thoughts

As the goddess of the hearth and protector of the home, Hestia is not seen or talked about in many Greek myths. While she was worshipped by the Ancient Greeks, because she did not play a large role in the epic stories, she tends to be forgotten by modern audiences.

If you are one of the few people who still know who Hestia is and love all that she represents and holds sacred, then you’ve come to the right place. At Mythic Tees, we celebrate all the gods and goddesses of Greek mythology and have a wide range of shirts and mugs available that shine a light on Hestia herself. You can find our full Hestia collection here!