Who is the queen of the underworld and goddess of spring?

Who is the queen of the underworld and goddess of spring? Persephone holds both roles in Greek mythology. She is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter and the wife of Hades, becoming queen of the dead after Hades carries her into the underworld.

Her best-known story explains the cycle of the seasons. Demeter, goddess of agriculture, mourns when Persephone disappears, causing the earth to become barren. Persephone eventually returns, but because she has eaten pomegranate seeds in the underworld, she cannot remain permanently in the world above. The length of her yearly stay below varies among ancient versions, while the broad seasonal symbolism remains consistent.

When Persephone returns to her mother, vegetation grows and the fields become fertile. Her descent represents seeds hidden in the earth, and her emergence represents sprouting crops and renewed life. This is why she is linked with spring, even though her underworld aspect also connects her with death and the buried dead.

Persephone is also called Kore, meaning “the Maiden,” especially in connection with her vegetation role. Her Roman counterpart is Proserpina. She should not be confused with Demeter, her mother and the goddess of agriculture, or Hestia and Athena, who belong to different divine spheres.