Hemera facts for kids

Hemera was a very important goddess in Greek mythology. She was known as the goddess of daylight. Imagine her as the one who brought the bright light of day to the world!

Hemera was the daughter of two powerful gods: Erebus, who was the god of darkness, and Nyx, who was the goddess of night. So, she was born from darkness and night, but she brought the light!

Her brother was Aether, who was the god of light and the upper sky. Sometimes, Aether was also considered her husband. Together, Hemera and Aether had children. One of their most famous children was Thalassa, the goddess of the sea. Some stories also say they were the parents of Gaia (Earth) and Ouranos (Sky).

Hemera also had several other siblings, including Moros (doom), Charon (the ferryman of the underworld), Keres (spirits of violent death), and Nemesis (the goddess of revenge).

Who Was Hemera?

Hemera was a primordial deity, which means she was one of the very first gods and goddesses to exist in the universe. She wasn't just a goddess of a specific thing; she was the personification of daylight itself. This means she was the daylight.

Her job was to bring the day. Every morning, she would leave the underworld, bringing light to the world. Then, at night, her mother Nyx would take over, covering the world in darkness. This cycle of day and night was a very important part of the ancient Greek understanding of the world.

Hemera's Family Tree

Hemera's family was full of powerful and ancient gods.

• Her mother was Nyx, the goddess of night.
• Her father was Erebus, the god of darkness.
• Her brother and sometimes husband was Aether, the god of light and the upper air.
• Her most famous child was Thalassa, the goddess of the sea.

These gods were not like the Olympian gods (like Zeus or Hera) who lived on Mount Olympus. They were much older and represented the very basic parts of the universe.