As the title suggests, the main focus of this book is on Hera, queen of the Greek gods. However, rather than serve as a character study of her as an individual, Pirenne-Delforge and Pironti focus instead on her relationship dynamics with the other gods, in particular Zeus, her brother-husband and her interactions with mortals. The book also explores Hera's divine aspects and her associated cults.
The structure of the book is broken down into clear chapters and sub-sections. This makes it particularly useful for students looking to engage with information quickly, about specific topics. The nature of the content means that it is a useful resource for both those approaching the study of Hera as a deity and those aiming at a more generalised Religion and Belief study.
The book contains three main chapters. Chapter 1, ‘On Olympus: Conjugal Bed and Royal Throne’ contains sub-sections on Hera's position as a wife and mother and her conflicts with other Olympians. Chapter 2, ‘In the Cities: Teleia and Basileia’ focuses largely on Hera's associated cults and sites of worship, and Chapter 3, ‘From Anger to Glory: Testing and Legitimising’ contains explorations of Hera's engagement with mortals, e.g. her monstrous creations and her involvement with the Argonauts as well as her relationships with her husband's illegitimate children, Herakles and Dionysos.
For a scholarly volume book of this type, the content is reassuringly accessible to students and would be appropriate reading for senior pupils to engage with. Some of the deeper analysis may challenge pupils but it is pitched at an appropriate level for those in the 16–18-year-old age group. There is no knowledge of the Ancient Greek language required and there is a comprehensive bibliography available for students to undertake further study as well as a comprehensive index. The concluding ‘Envoi’ section contains some thought-provoking analysis for further discussion and study in this area. The authors present some interesting arguments concerning Hera which challenge some of the traditional, and often reductive, opinions about her character and her role in Greek religion and belief. The coherent chapter and sub-section structure make this book particularly useful for students to quickly find specific information or for educators to assign a quick reading task. Students looking to conduct a more in-depth study of Hera in particular would find this volume a very useful starting point.
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