Eileithyia, in Greek Mythology, was the goddess of childbirth and obstetrics. In the cave of Amnisos (Crete), it was related to the annual birth of the divine son, and her cult is connected with Enesidaon (the earth shaker), who was the chthonic aspect of the god Poseidon. It is possible that her cult is related to the cult of Eleusis. In his Seventh Ode Nemeana, Píndaro refers to her as the maid or sitting next to the Moirai (destinations) and responsible for raising descendants.
Hesiod (c. 700 BC) described Eileithyia as daughter of Hera by Zeus. Later, for classical Greeks, it is closely associated with Artemis and Hera (but does not develop any character of its own). In the Orphic Hymn to Prothyraeia, the association of a goddess of childbirth as an epithet of Artemis virginal, making the hunter deadly also "one who comes to the aid of women in childbirth" would be inexplicable in purely Olympic terms:
As the main goddess of childbirth along with Artemis, Eileithyia had numerous sanctuaries in many places in Greece dating from the Neolithic to Roman times, indicating that she was extremely important for pregnant women and their families. People prayed and left offers for fertility help, safe delivery, or thanks for a successful birth. Archaeological evidence of votive terra-cotta figurines representing children found in sacred sites and sacred sites dedicated to Eileithyia suggests that she was a chorotrophic deity, to whom parents would have prayed for the protection and care of their children.
Midwives played an essential role in ancient Greek society, with women of all classes participating in the profession, many of them slaves with only empirical training or some theoretical training in obstetrics and gynecology. Higher educated midwives, usually from higher classes, were called iatrenes or female disease doctors and would be respected as doctors.
Check: The Colossus of Rhodes
Erebus is, in Greek Mythology, the God of Darkness and the personification of evil and darkness; he is Nix's brother and lives in a dark and empty place called Void, check.
Meet the Goddess of Night: Nix and her relevant role within Greek Mythology. Nix was also known to be a primordial and very powerful Titaness. Check everything about this goddess.
Chaos is a Greek God and was considered by Hesiod as the first deity to appear in the universe, therefore he is the oldest of the Gods and Titans. He is also known as the primordial God of Creation in Greek Mythology.
Selene is, in Greek Mythology, the Goddess of the Moon. But unlike Artemis (who is of the new generation), Selene is the Old Goddess who represents the moon star. This deity was very dear among ancient peoples.
Neptune or Netune is the name given, in Roman Mythology, to the Greek God Poseidon (or Posídon). Neptune is the Sea King. He is also considered the god of animals and even of the earth.
Pluto, is the name given, in Roman Mythology, to the Greek God Hades. Pluto is the King of the Underworld and has as a pet, Cerberus, the three-headed Hound and guardian of the underworld.
Jupiter is the name given - in Roman Mythology to Zeus, the Greek God of Thunder and King of the Gods. Zeus was the most relevant deity in Greek and Roman mythologies, learn more about this icon below.
Thalia is, in Greek Mythology, one of dozens of daughters of the thunder god Zeus. This "demigod" appears in the Percy Jackson movie saga and became well known from there. Learn more about Thalia below.
Phanes is a little known deity in Greek Mythology and is associated with the God of Life. He is often associated with Chaos as well as the deity of creation. He was the son of Chronos, check below.
Aurora was, in Roman Mythology, the Goddess of the Dawn. This deity (theoretically) was a plagiarism of the Greek Goddess "Eos" and also of the Hindu Goddess Hausus, check out the article below.
