Hephaestos

Hephaestos was the son of Zeus and Hera. He was the god of fire, and smiths and craftsmen. Many pictures show him working at his forge. He made all kids of wondrous artefacts, such as the shield of Achilles described in the Iliad.

Hephaestos was lame - he had a bad leg. His wife was Aphrodite, the beautiful goddess of love. She was more attracted to Ares, however, and had an affair with him. Hephaestos was jealous, and he made a net which trapped them together in bed.

Temple of Hephaestos

The main temple of Hephaestos is in the agora in Athens. It is the best preserved temple in the whole of Greece. Remains of several blacksmith's shops have been found in the same area.

Above: the Temple of Hephaestos in Athens

Above: frieze inside the temple