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Rhea, Rheia
(196 words)

[German version]

(Ῥέα/Rhéa, Ῥέη/Rhéē, Ῥεία/Rheía, Ῥείη/Rheíē). Greek goddess; daughter of Uranus and Gaia, sister and consort of her brother Kronos, and by him the mother of Zeus, Hera, Demeter, Hades, Poseidon and Hestia (Hes. Theog. 453-463). Kronos devours the children in order to avoid the danger of being deprived of his power by one of them. However R. hides Zeus in Crete and instead gives Kronos a stone wrapped in swaddling bands. When Zeus is grown up he frees his brothers and sisters and with their help overthrows his father. Meanwhile, in order to protect Hera, R. sends her to Oceanus…

Cite this page
Käppel, Lutz (Kiel), “Rhea, Rheia”, in: Brill’s New Pauly, Antiquity volumes edited by: Hubert Cancik and , Helmuth Schneider, English Edition by: Christine F. Salazar, Classical Tradition volumes edited by: Manfred Landfester, English Edition by: Francis G. Gentry. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1574-9347_bnp_e1021870>
First published online: 2006
First print edition: 9789004122598, 20110510



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