She attended every divine birth in Greek mythology, yet remains almost invisible in modern retellings. Eileithyia-goddess of childbirth, daughter of Zeus and Hera-held power over the most dangerous threshold in ancient life.

From Bronze Age Crete to Roman altars, this study traces Eileithyia across centuries of worship and story. Drawing on Linear B tablets, archaeological evidence from her sacred cave at Amnisos, ancient texts, and votive offerings, it reconstructs a goddess central to ancient women's lives.

Inside, you'll explore:

• Her Minoan origins and the cave sanctuary where worship continued for over a thousand years
• The mythology: Leto's labor, Alcmene's torment, and Eileithyia's role in the births of gods and heroes
• Cult practice, sanctuaries, and the offerings women brought seeking safe delivery
• Her epithets, iconography, and relationship to Hera and Artemis
• The transition to Roman Lucina and her legacy in later tradition

For readers of Greek religion, mythology, and ancient women's history-a guide to the goddess who stood at the boundary between life and death.