Children of Zeus and Hera in Greek Mythology

Zeus and Hera play important roles in Greek mythology. Zeus is the Greek god of the skies, and Hera is the Greek goddess of marriage and birth. Hera is also known as Queen of the Gods because of her matriarchal role in Greek mythology.

Together, Zeus and Hera had three children: Ares, Hebe, and Hephaestus.

Ares

The Greek god of war. He is one of the Twelve Olympians. The Twelve Olympians are the major Greek gods who resided on Mount Olympus. Ares is present in Homer’s The Iliad as well as The Odyssey. Ares roles may be short, but it is always powerful. Ares has many relationships and comes to father many children as well.

Hebe

The Greek goddess of youth and youthfulness. While she was not one of the Twelve Olympians, she was cupbearer to the gods and goddesses at Mount Olympus. This meant that she served the gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus drinks and ambrosia. In addition to restoring  youth to mortals, Hebe would also take care of her brother, Ares, by drawing him baths.

Hebe is considered to be the most beautiful of the goddesses. Greek mythology claims that Hebe left her role as cupbearer to marry the Greek hero, Hercules, with whom she had two children, Alexiares and Anicetus. Alexiares and Anicetus are mortal sons to Hercules and Hebe and are known for being the strongest mortals to live.

Hebe has a prominent place in Greek mythology, standing alongside Athena and Hera in the Temple of Hera. While Hebe was not one of the Twelve Olympians, she was born into a prominent family and made a name for herself among them for all eternity.

Hephaestus

The Greek god of blacksmiths, metalworking, crafts, and volcanoes. Hephaestus plays many important roles in the stories of many Greek heroes. As the Greek god of blacksmiths, Hephaestus made all of the weapons and armor of Mount Olympus. Some of his most famous works include Hermes’s winged sandals and helmet, Hercules’s clappers, Aegis’s breastplate, Aphrodite’s girdle, and Achilles’ armor.

Zeus, Hera, and Hercules

The triangle between Zeus, Hera, and Hercules is what leads Hercules to complete his famous twelve labors.

Zeus is the father to Hercules, but it is not with Hera, whom he fathered Hercules. Zeus fathered Hercules to a mortal woman named Alcmene while he was married to Hera. Hera became enraged by Zeus’s infidelity that she vowed to destroy Hercules because he reminded her of her husband’s unfaithfulness.

When Hercules was a baby, Hera sent upon snakes to kill Hercules as he slept in his cradle. Hercules first showed his brute strength when he was a baby by strangling the snakes as they entered his cradle.

As Hercules grew older, Hera continued to attempt to kill him. Hera sent madness upon Hercules that made him kill his wife, Megara, and his children. When he came out of his madness, Hercules realized what he had done and prayed to Apollo for guidance.

Apollo told Hercules that he would need to be a servant to King Eurystheus for twelve years. In these twelve years, Hercules had to complete twelve difficult and seemingly impossible labors.

Hera had a part in the labors by making them as difficult as possible for Hercules. While they were already difficult, Hera would add an extra layer of difficulty to ensure that Hercules would not be able to successfully complete them.

To Hera’s dismay, Hercules was able to successfully complete all twelve of the seemingly impossible labors to go down as one of the greatest Greek heroes of all time.