Minor goddesses are deities who rank lower than the Major Goddesses. They work with major gods and goddesses to fulfil important functions to humanity or nature, they were and are also overall less popular in both the immortal and mortal realms and were less worshipped (if at all) than their major counterparts. Some have more important roles than others.
Examples of minor Greek goddesses include Thallo, Auxo, Carpo, Orithyia and Chione, who represent the different seasons and types of weather and are part of Persephone's entourage, Hera's two daughters: Hebe, the goddess of youth who assists Hera and Aphrodite, being in both of their retinues and Eileithyia the goddess of childbirth and the protector of pregnant women who is Hera's assistant, Peitho, the goddess of persuasion, seduction and charming speech, an important companion and handmaiden of Aphrodite, Bia, the goddess of force, might, power and strength who serves Zeus, King of the Gods as his charioteer and is a sentinel to his throne with her sister Nike and brothers, Zelus and Kratos, Iris the goddess of the rainbow and clouds who is also a messenger of the Olympian Gods and Hera's personal handmaiden as well as Astraea, the Titan Goddess of the stars, innocence, purity, precision and justice who is associated with the goddesses Dike and Nemesis and is part of the night goddess Nyx's retinue. The Horae, The Nine Muses, The Graces and most of the Nymphs count as minor goddesses too. Furthermore most of the female children and descendants of The Twelve Olympians count as minor such as Harmonia, Tyche, Angelia, Eupheme, Euthenia, Philophrosyne, Eucleia, Makaria, Melinoe, Ersa and Pandeia.
Minor goddesses are vast and diverse, some existed before the rise of the Olympian gods like Asteria, Ceto, Eos and Hecate whilst others are so young that they have human ancestry like Hedone, Beroe, The Asclepiades and Achelois. Some minor goddesses are also classified as Daimons (personifications of an abstract concept) too like Paleastra, Arete, Hybris, Dyssebeia and Praxidike.
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