Greek - Artemis

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Artemis

Goddess of the Hunt, Wilderness, and the Moon

Virgin goddess of the hunt, wild animals, and the moon. Twin sister of Apollo, Artemis roams the wilderness with her band of nymphs, protecting young creatures and punishing those who offend her.

Attributes & Domains

Titles

Huntress, Maiden, Lady of Wild Things, Moon Goddess, Protector of Youth

Domains

Hunt, wilderness, wild animals, moon, childbirth, virginity, young girls

Symbols

Bow and arrows, crescent moon, deer, cypress, hunting dogs

Sacred Animals

Deer, bear, boar, hunting dog, guinea fowl

Sacred Plants

Cypress, walnut, cedar, myrtle, amaranth

Colors

Silver, white, forest green, moonlight

Mythology & Stories

Artemis's myths emphasize her independence, her protection of the natural world, and her fierce punishment of those who violate her sanctity or harm her companions.

Key Myths:

Birth and Early Deeds: Artemis was born on the island of Delos, twin to Apollo. According to some accounts, she was born first and helped her mother Leto deliver Apollo. As a young girl, she asked Zeus for eternal virginity and dominion over the wilderness.
Actaeon: The hunter Actaeon accidentally saw Artemis bathing naked in a stream. As punishment for violating her privacy, she transformed him into a stag, and his own hunting dogs tore him apart.
Niobe: When the mortal queen Niobe boasted that her fourteen children made her superior to Leto (who had only two), Artemis and Apollo slew all of Niobe's children with arrows. Artemis killed the daughters, Apollo the sons.
Orion: Various myths tell of Artemis's relationship with the giant hunter Orion. In some versions she loved him; in others she killed him for trying to seduce her or one of her nymphs. After his death, Zeus placed him in the stars.
Iphigenia: When Agamemnon killed a sacred deer and boasted he was a better hunter than Artemis, she becalmed the Greek fleet at Aulis. She demanded the sacrifice of his daughter Iphigenia, though in some versions she replaced the girl with a deer at the last moment.

Sources: Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, Homeric Hymn to Artemis, Euripides' Iphigenia plays, Ovid's Metamorphoses, Apollodorus's Bibliotheca

Relationships

Family

Parents: Zeus and Leto (Titaness)
Twin Brother: Apollo (god of sun, music, prophecy)
Half-Siblings: Numerous children of Zeus including Athena, Hermes, Dionysus, Heracles

Companions

The Hunters of Artemis: Band of virgin nymphs and mortal maidens who swore eternal chastity to hunt with her
Atalanta: Famous huntress who sometimes hunted with Artemis
Her Hunting Dogs: Given to her by Pan, fierce and loyal companions

Worship & Rituals

Sacred Sites

Artemis's most famous temple was at Ephesus (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World). Major cult sites also existed at Brauron in Attica, Sparta (as Artemis Orthia), and throughout wilderness areas. Her shrines were often in forests, on mountains, or near springs.

Festivals

Brauronia: Every four years at Brauron, young Athenian girls performed "bear dances" in saffron robes, honoring Artemis and marking transitions in girlhood.
Artemisia: Celebrated in various locations, honoring Artemis with processions and games.

Offerings

Hunters offered Artemis the first fruits of the hunt. Young girls dedicated their toys and childhood garments to her before marriage. Pregnant women and new mothers made offerings seeking her protection during childbirth. Goats and deer were sacrificed, and her altars received cakes shaped like animals.

Prayers & Invocations

Artemis was invoked for successful hunts, safe childbirth, protection of young children (especially girls), and preservation of chastity. Hunters and travelers in wild places sought her guidance and protection. Women in childbirth called upon her despite her virginity, as she had helped birth her brother Apollo.