by Belinda Brown

Created on: October 01, 2010

Artemis was one of the most respected Goddesses in Greek Mythology. It was said Artemis was the daughter of Zeus and Leto. Artemis was also the twin sister of Apollo. Artemis was typically associated with hunting and she is often seen in works of art with a hunting dog by her side or with a bow and arrow.

Artemis was also widely associated with animals, especially wild animals, as well as virginity, childbirth and the wilderness. It has also been said that Artemis brought and eased disease in women and aided women in childbirth.

In later Greek Mythology, Artemis had been associated with Titaness, the Goddess of the moon and she had been known with the Roman Goddess Diana. Artemis was also identified with other Greek Goddesses such as Hectate and Etruscan goddess, Artume.

There are many different stories in Greek mythology that describe the birth of Artemis and Apollo. One account of the myth was Zeus' wife, Hera became outraged when she had learnt Zeus had impregnated Leto. Hera had banned Leto from giving birth on land. Leto disobeyed Hera and did so. Zeus had then transformed Leto into a quail.

It is known in Greek myth whether it was Apollo or Artemis who had been born first. Some say that it was Artemis who had been born first and she had helped her mother Leto give birth to Apollo.

Mythology depicts Artemis in childhood as a small child who had been beaten by Hera and climbs crying into the lap of Zeus.

During childhood, Artemis had asked Zeus to grant her six wishes. These included that she wanted to be set apart from her twin brother Apollo, to be able to obtain a bow and arrow, to always stay as a virgin, for her to be a Light Bringer, to be allowed to wear a knee length tunic for hunting in, and she asked him for sixty “daughters of Okeanos.”

Artemis did not wish for any cities to be named after herself, although she did wish to have reign over the mountains and to have the power to help women during childbirth. Artemis had believed fate had chosen her to help women during childbirth.

Artemis' symbols that are associated with her are said to be the hunting dog, the moon, the stag and a golden bow and arrow. The cypress and dear are known to be sacred to Artemis.

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