Hestia was the Greek Olympian goddess who guarded the sacred hearth.
Hestia was the firstborn child of Cronus and Rhea and one of the original Olympian deities. Because Cronus swallowed her at birth, she was later restored along with her siblings when Zeus forced him to release them. Hestia represented the hearth, the central fire of both the household and the wider community.
Unlike many Olympian gods, Hestia rarely appears as an active character in dramatic myths. Her importance was expressed through ritual. Greek households offered her the first portion of meals, while cities maintained public hearths dedicated to her. Colonists also carried sacred fire from the hearth of their mother city to new settlements.
Hestia was traditionally counted among the twelve Olympians, although some later lists replace her with Dionysus. Her Roman counterpart was Vesta, whose priestesses, the Vestal Virgins, tended Rome’s sacred fire. Hestia should not be confused with Demeter, whose primary sphere was agriculture.