Who was Theia in Greek mythology?

In Greek mythology, Theia, sometimes called Thea or Euryphaessa, is one of the twelve Titanides, the primordial deities born from the union of Ouranos (Heaven) and Gaia (Earth). She is best known for being the goddess of celestial light, and for having begotten three major deities with the Titan Hyperion: Helios (the sun), Selene (the moon) and Eos (the dawn).

Theia embodies the divine light that gives brilliance to the stars and heavens. In ancient beliefs, her power was not only limited to emitting light, but also to conferring value and prestige on the things she touched. Thus, she was often associated with the brilliance of gold, silver and precious stones, considered to be materials imbued with her divine light.

She was also considered a prophetic deity, for in ancient Greek thought, light played an essential role in oracles’ ability to glimpse the future. The clarity it provided enabled diviners to perceive signs hidden in the world.

One of the most important aspects of Theia in Greek mythology is her role as mother of the great stars. Together with her brother and husband Hyperion, the Titan of Light, she gave birth to three great celestial deities.

His son Helios is the Sun god, who crosses the sky every day on his golden chariot, lighting up the world. His daughter Selene is the goddess of the Moon, associated with nocturnal cycles and the mysteries of the night. As for Éos, she is Dawn personified, opening the way to the Sun every morning.

Through this lineage, Theia plays a fundamental role in cosmic balance and the regulation of time, her influence being directly linked to the alternation of day and night.

Like all primordial deities, Theia was involved in the events that shook the reign of the Titans. When their son Cronos overthrew his father Ouranos, Theia and her siblings became part of the new generation of divine rulers. However, when Zeus and the Olympians declared war on the Titans, most of them were defeated and imprisoned in Tartarus. Unlike some of her brothers, such as Atlas or Crios, Theia is not mentioned among the active figures in this war, and her fate after the Titanomachy remains unclear in ancient texts.

Theia may not be one of the best-known deities in the Greek pantheon, but her influence is felt in many fields. Her name has been taken up by modern science to designate a hypothetical planet that collided with the Earth some 4.5 billion years ago, giving rise to the Moon. This theory, known as the Giant Impact Hypothesis, suggests that the debris from this collision formed our natural satellite, recalling the mythological link between Theia and Selene.

Theia is an essential Titanid in Greek mythology, symbolizing celestial light and divine radiance. Mother of the Sun, Moon and Dawn, she embodies the brightness of day and the splendor of the stars. Although her role is less central than that of other deities, she remains a major figure in the cosmic organization of the ancient Greeks, influencing both mythology and contemporary scientific research.

You may also be interested in

• Who is the goddess Nyx?
• Who is Hermes in mythology?