Hera and Zeus (both named; Hera is also called her own name in addition to Argeia, I believe) fight back to back with giants. Hera shanks one with her sword while Zeus holds an aegis and hurls lightning at some others.
Hera and Apollo fighting back to back. She wields what is either a spear or pointed scepter, killing the giant Phoetus.
(Mid to late 6th century BC)
Hera, wreathed in laurels, wields a spear, possibly while fighting giants.
(No I am not joking when I say this is the only available image of Hera’s scene on this vase in the world. It’s not even on display anywhere, but the scene of Hera on it is vividly described)
On the left is Hera [facing] to [the] left, with long tresses, fillet, and long diapered chiton with diploidion, plunging a sword into the neck of a giant whom she has beaten down on one knee to [the] left; she holds him by the helmet with [her] left hand, and plants her right foot on his right leg. The giant (who may be Harpolycus) is bearded and wears a visored helmet, short embroidered chiton, cuirass, parameridia, and greaves; he is looking back.
Parthenon east metope 7. Hera rides her chariot into battle against the giants.
(Genuinely annoyed that the museum listed this as “Hera rides her husband, Zeus’, chariot into battle while he fights in front of her” like fuck off 😭 sexist bs. There is zero reason to associate this chariot with anyone but Hera. Because. She’s fucking driving it.
It’s not like it’s the only time she’s driven a horsedrawn chariot before. Here she is at the Judgement of Paris, while Athena is pulled by snakes and Aphrodite by slave labor. Why wasn’t THIS one called Zeus’ chariot??? Is she too chaste to ride a chariot into war? Would her womanly sensibilities get in the way of her trampling a giant to death underhoof? Go fuck yourself. Okay rant over)
(Late 5th - early 4th century BC)
I unfortunately can’t include anymore images in this post 💔 but here is a close-up of Hera’s part here
Despite Porphyrion knocking Hera’s shield out of her hand and gripping her waist lustfully, she’s still rearing back with her spear. Meanwhile her husband and nephew prepare a thunder strike and arrow shot respectively, to help her. Nike, Zeus’ charioteer, looks down on them.
I love the thought of Hera looking at them confusedly after she killed the guy on her own like “guys that was overkill. I can handle myself.”
Quick refresher on her warlike qualities:
Ἀλέξανδρος (Alexandros) 'Protector of Men' among the Sicyonians
Οπλοσμία (Oplosmia) '[she who] bears arms or shield' at Elis
Τροπαία (Tropaia), 'Victory-giver' [specifically, Lycophron of Alexandria says “τῷ σπάσαντι δηΐας Μύστῃ Τροπαίας μαστὸν εὔθηλον θεᾶς” / “To the one who tore in conflict the full breast of the goddess, the Initiate of Victory [Mystei Tropaia].” This refers to Heracles, though Mystei Tropaia seems to refer to Hera. Farnell assumed it referred to Heracles biting her breast as a baby, but that seems unlikely to me? In the Iliad, it’s mentioned that Heracles shot Hera in the breast, and the Iliad scholia clarifies that this happened in Pylos, while she fought alongside Hades and Poseidon]
Ἀρεία (Areia), ‘[she] of Ares / Warlike’ at Posidonia and Hyria [and possibly Samos, where their Heraea festival involved a procession of warriors marching up to the temple of Hera; as well as Sparta, where Hera was worshipped alongside Aphrodite in a common priesthood, according to Farnell]
Ἱππία (Hippia), '[lady] of the Horse' at Olympia
Ἡνιοχη (Henioche) ‘Charioteer’ alongside ‘Zeus the King’ at Lebadia
Ἄνθεια (Antheia), meaning ‘[lady] of the Flowers’ at Argos and Miletos [in front of her temple at Argos were the graves of maenads Hera assisted in the slaying of for offending her. According to Nonnus:
Dasyllios the man of Amyclai, […] He killed also Alcimacheia the highland girl, for beauty and valour alike pre-eminent above her years-mates. She was daughter to Harpalion famous for his vines; she had dared to enter the temple of Hera laden with ivy—which that Argive goddess hated as much as she loved her favourite red pomegranate—dared to beat the fine statue with the vineleaves of her thyrsus, to beat the brazen figure with bunches of grapes—insulting the resentful stepmother of Lyaios! But she did not escape the frightful wrath thus kindled in Hera: no, Lemnian Alcimacheia who defied the gods was buried in a strange land — she did not return from the war, she never again saw Harpalion her father, she never saw her own country, Lemnos, the bridechamber of Jason and Hysipyleia; death was her punishment, and she lay among strangers under a mound of earth.
Pausanias remarked upon the mound earlier:
The temple of Hera Antheia is on the right of the sanctuary of Leto [in the city of Argos], and before it is a grave of women. They were killed in a battle against the Argives under Perseus, having come from the Aegean Islands to help Dionysos in war.
Προδρομία (Prodromia), 'running forward' at Sicyon [this also makes sense given context in Nonnus, who has our best account of a warlike Hera:
Hera has armed him [Perseus], and she is fighting openly in the shape of the seer Melampus…
All-vanquishing Hera marshalled the battle, and scattered the Bacchants with Medusa's reaper [Perseus]; she dashed upon Bacchus like the lightning, a godsent leaping fire, and cast at Bromius her radiant flashing lance.
(Bacchus and Bromius are epithets Nonnus uses interchangeably for Dionysus.) I fucking love her oh my god. She’s terrifying and fucking HATES him. As she should. A 5th century BC vase depicted him sending a group of satyrs to assault her and Iris. They successfully pinned down Iris, but Hera was saved by Hermes and Heracles (Heracles may have been handing her his bow so she could also fight back. Either she would take his arrows as well or just give em a classic Trojan war whooping)
Quick reminder of how awesome Hera’s been from day 1 (Iliad book 21)
But Hera, Zeus’ honoured wife, was angry. She went at the archer goddess, insulting her:
“You shameless bitch, you dare stand against me? You’ll find it hard to match my power, even if you have your bow and Zeus made you a lion against women, allowing you to kill whichever one of them you please. I say it’s better to be slaughtering wild beasts, deer in the mountains, than to go all out against those more powerful than you. Still, if you’re keen to learn about this war, to understand how much more powerful than you I am, let’s fight, since you are challenging my strength.”
With these words, Hera caught both arms of Artemis in her left hand. With her right she grabbed the bow, snatching it and its quiver off her shoulders. Then she slapped her with those weapons. As she did so, Hera smiled to see Artemis twist away and squirm. The swift arrows tumbled out. Artemis ran off, crying like a pigeon speeding from a hawk, flying to some hollow cleft among the rocks, for she’s not fated to be caught—that’s how Artemis escaped, in tears, leaving her bow lying there.
“How does Hera fight, by throwing wedding rings at people?” By knocking your fucking lights out, that’s how. How does Artemis fight if she can’t keep her own bow in her hands?
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