Eileithyia
Eileithyia is a goddess who was venerated near the Amnisos river as early as the Mycenaean era. She was worshipped in a cave dedicated to her. According to Ivana Petrovic, it is highly likely Artemis and Eileilthyia were assimilated at this cave, or that at some point the worship of Eileithyia there was superseded by that of Artemis.
↻ synthesized from 17 sources
When
- First attested
- 1600 BCE
- Attested period
- -1600 – 2020
- Historical notes
- Venerated since the Mycenaean era.
Relationships
- co occurs with
- Alcamenes, Dioscuri, Genetyllis, Hecuba, Galinthias, Gale, Deiua Geneta, Artemis-Hecate, Themis, Iris, Dione, Ichnaea, Hestia, Enesidaon, Asklepios, Libera, Eleutheria, Alexiares, Anicetus, Asclepius, Cephissus, Kourotrophos, Lyssa, Arge, Cronos, Opis, Selene, Leto, Sosipolis, Mania, Hecate, Manes, Aphrodite, Athena, Amphitrite, Rhea, Zeus, Poseidon, Demeter, Heracles, Gaia, Hermes, Ares, Dionysus, harpies, nymphs, Apollo
- allied with
- Hera, Moirai, Artemis (Diana), Hekate, Persephone
- syncretized with
- Ethausva, Artemis (Diana), Mana Genita, Lucina
- parent of
- Sosipolis
- manifested by
- Fates
Mentioned by
- Hecate
- Manes
- Aphrodite
- Athena
- Amphitrite
- Rhea
- Zeus
- Poseidon
- Demeter
- Heracles
- Gaia
- Hermes
- Ares
- Dionysus
- harpies
- nymphs
and 8 more
Sources
Source passages
“Along the Amnisos river, there exists a cave which was dedicated to the goddess Eileithyia, with her having been venerated there as early as the Mycenaean era. According to Ivana Petrovic, is it highly likely Artemis and Eileilthyia were assimilated at this cave”
#8896 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“and in parallel notes that Argive sacrificial practice (using dogs) makes as well for an interesting comparison for her with Eilioneia, meaning the birth goddess Eileithyia. Horace also links her to Eileithyia in carmen saeculare”
#12792 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“dog was sacred to Eileithyia, Genetyllis, and other birth goddesses. Images of her attended by a dog are also found when she is depicted alongside the god Hermes and the goddess Cybele in reliefs. Although in later times Hecate's dog came to be thought of as a manifestation of restless souls or daemons who accompanied her”
#14308 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“Artemis was worshipped as one of the primary goddesses of childbirth and midwifery along with Eileithyia and Hera.”
#18588 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“Kallone (Ancient Greek: Καλλονή, lit. 'beauty') is one third of the Greek trio of gods comprising Fate, Birth and Beauty; or Moira, Eileithyia and Kallone respectively. She is described in Plato's Symposium as an aspect of birth: This thing, pregnancy and bringing to birth, is divine”
#19705 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001