NAME Hector
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
TYPE chariot warrior / war leader
CULTURE Goidel / Trojan
COUNTRY England
REGION Cambridgeshire
TERRITORY Troad
LANDMARKS Wash
CENTERS Troy (Gogmagog Hills)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 13th c / BC 1240 (defeat of Troy)
BATTLES Trojan War
RELATIVES Priam (father); Hecabe (mother); Andromache
(wife); Astyanax (son); Paris, Helenus and
Deiphobus (brothers); Cassandra (sister)
ENEMIES Achaean / Danann / Achilles
SEE ALSO Achilles / Paris / Priam
REMARKS Hector was the son of Priam, head chieftain of
Troy. He was their main battle champion during their war
against the Achaeans. During a combat Hector thought he
had killed Achilles, his feared opponent, only to discover
that he had killed Achilles's friend Patroclus instead. As
a result, Achilles went into a frenzy. He found Hector,
chased him 3 times around Troy, killed him, then dragged
the body behind his chariot back to the Achaean camp.
Although at first Achilles left his body for the dogs,
Hector's father was able to negotiate the return of the
body plus an 11-day truce to permit appropriate burial
rites. Hector's remains were burned and the ashes placed
in a golden urn. Hector's wife Andromache then married his
brother Helenus, the prophet.
NAME Helen
EPITHET Fairest Woman in the World
GENDER F
CATEGORY rigbean (noble woman)
CULTURE Goidel - Turdetani tribe
COUNTRY Spain
TERRITORY Lacedaemon
LANDMARKS Esparteros Mountain / Guadalquivir river
CENTERS Sparta
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 13th c / BC 1240 (defeat of Troy)
RELATIVES Zeus (father); Leda (mother); Tyndareus (step-
father); Menelaus (husband); Hermione
(daughter); Paris, Deiphobus and Abartach
(consorts); Sabrann (daughter); Polydeuces
(brother); Castor (half-brother); Clytemnestra
(half-sister); Agamemnon (brother-in-law)
SEE ALSO Abartach / Agamemnon / Menelaus / Paris / Zeus
REMARKS Helen was the daughter of Leda and Tyndareus
(Tyndarus), chieftain of Lacedaemon. It is most likely
that they were of the Turdetani tribe of the Goidel culture
that settled there sometime in the early Bronze Age.
One night the beautiful Leda was visited by Zeus in
the form of a swan, and from that union were produced two
eggs, one which contained Helen and Polydeuces (Pollux),
the other containing the twins Castor and Clytemnestra.
When Helen became of age she chose Menelaus as her
husband, and her father then turned the leadership of the
territory of Lacedaemon over to them. The territory was
(and still is) rich in the highly-sought-after resources of
copper, tin and silver, and was strategically positioned to
control the gateway between the Atlantic and the
Mediterranean.
Because Helen was considered to be the most beautiful
woman in the world, she was the one promised to Paris by
the goddess Aphrodite as a bribe. When Paris, son of the
chieftain of Troy, went to visit Menelaus, chieftain of
Sparta, Aphrodite caused Helen to fall in love with the
Trojan. When Menelaus was away in Crete, Paris abducted
Helen. Helen and Paris went on a voyage, then spent 9
years at Troy before the outbreak of hostilities, which
lasted another 10 years. When Paris was killed Helen was
married to his brother Deiphobus. Helen was also the
consort of Abartach son of Lugh, and bore him a daughter
called Sabrann. Sabrann then married Cail (The 100-
wounder), son of Lugaid, son of Leda.
After the death of Deiphobus by Neoptolemus and the
end of the Trojan war, Helen returned to Sparta with her
husband Menelaus. Menelaus and Helen interrupted their
return home with 8 years of travel.
NAME Helvius Cinna
GENDER M
CATEGORY poet
TYPE popular poet
CULTURE Gallic - Cenomani tribe
COUNTRY Italy
TERRITORY Cisalpine Gaul
CENTERS Brescia (Brixia)
AGE Iron (late)
DATES BC 1st c
SEE ALSO Gaius Valerius Catullus / Virgil
REMARKS Helvius Cinna was a Celtic poet and a friend of
two other Celtic poets named Catullus and Virgil. Helvius
wrote poems which were influenced by Celtic mythology. He
was killed by a mob in a case of mistaken identity.
NAME Hephaistos
ALTERNATIVE Hephaestus
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity
TYPE god of fire and metal-working
CULTURE Achaean
COUNTRY Netherlands
REGION Gaul / Belgica
LANDMARKS Rhine Delta
SITES Island of Lemnos
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 13th c / BC 1240 (defeat of Troy)
BATTLES Trojan War
RELATIVES Zeus (father/uncle); Hera (mother/aunt);
Aphrodite and Athena (half-sisters/consorts);
Erechtheus (son); Ares (brother); Hebe (sister);
Artio (half-sister); Apollo, Belenos, Hermes,
Tantalus and Aeacus (half-brothers)
ENEMIES Troy
SEE ALSO Achilles / Aeneas / Aphrodite / Apollo / Ares /
Artio / Athena / Hera / Hermes / Zeus
REMARKS Both Zeus and Hera, on different occasions,
threw their son Hephaistos out of Olympus, and the falls
caused him to remain lame throughout his life. When he was
thrown out by Zeus, he landed on the volcanic island of
Lemnos where he established his main workshop, though other
volcanic islands were also associated with his fires.
Hephaistos was a god of metal-working and was
responsible for the armor of Achilles the Achaean and of
Aeneas the Trojan. He was also credited with the fire-
breathing bulls of Aeetes which protected the Golden
Fleece. He supported the Achaeans during the Trojan War.
Torch-races were later held in his honor.
NAME Hera
EPITHET Of the White Arms
ALTERNATIVE Here
GENDER F
SYMBOL pomegranate / cuckoo / peacock
CATEGORY deity
TYPE goddess of marriage/childbirth/women
CULTURE Achaean
TERRITORY Gaul
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 13th c / BC 1240 (defeat of Troy)
BATTLES Trojan War
RELATIVES Ouranos (grandfather); Gaia (grandmother);
Cronos (father); Rhea (mother); Zeus
(brother/consort); Ares and Hephaistos (sons);
Hebe (daughter); Poseidon and Dis (brothers);
Demeter (sister)
ENEMIES Trojans
SEE ALSO Athena / Ares / Dis / Hephaistos / Paris /
Poseidon / Zeus
REMARKS Hera had the reputation for being rather jealous
and vindictive, especially with the various consorts of her
brother Zeus. A plot with Poseidon and Athena to enchain
Zeus was discovered with the result that she herself was
beaten and chained. Zeus came to her in the form of a
cuckoo and they mated.
Hera tried to entice Paris to vote her the most
beautiful of the goddesses by offering him power and
riches, and when he did not vote for her, she supported the
Achaeans during the Trojan War.
The peacock and the cuckoo were sacred to her, and the
pomegranate was her symbol as it was a fertility sign and
she was a goddess of protection during childbirth. Statues
to Hera were robed. Every 4th year a group of 16 women
would purify themselves with water and pigs blood then
weave her robe. Her statue at Samos wore clothing coloured
white, blue and purple.
GENDER M
SYMBOL Caduceus staff
CATEGORY deity / vate
TYPE god of (invention/messages/cunning/commerce/
thieves/eloquence/good luck) / ambassador
CULTURE Goidel - Lingones tribe / Trojan
COUNTRY France
TERRITORY Gaul / Arcadia
LANDMARKS Vosges Mountains
SITES Mt Cyllene
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 13th c / BC 1240 (defeat of Troy)
BATTLES Trojan War
ACCESSORIES broad-brimmed hat / winged boots / lyre / staff
RELATIVES Zeus (father); Maia (mother); Aphrodite (half-
sister/consort); Hermaphroditus and Pan (sons);
Artio, Athena, Helen and Hebe (half-sisters);
Aeacus, Apollo, Ares, Dardanus, Castor,
Pollux,
Perseus, Proserpine, Tantalus, Hephaistos,
Apollo and Belenos (half-brothers); Atlas
(grandfather)
ENEMIES Acheans
SEE ALSO Aphrodite / Apollo / Ares / Artio / Athena /
Belenos / Helen / Hephaistos / Zeus
REMARKS Hermes was born on Mt Cyllene in Arcadia and
immediately began his career as a thief, stealing Apollo's
oxen on the first day of his life. He became known as the
god of thieves as his list of trophies increased: he stole
Poseidon's trident, Aphrodite's girdle and Ares' sword.
Zeus was so impressed with these feats that he employed him
to be his messenger, and Hermes acquired the symbol of
winged boots.
In his role of ambassador he was also known as the god
of eloquence. He invented the lyre, and in reward was
given Apollo's staff (Caduceus). He was able to accomplish
the difficult task of slaying Argus, the 100-eyed being
which guarded Io. Zeus had already changed it into a cow,
but only 2 of the being's eyes slept at any one time.
Hermes lulled all of them to sleep with his lyre.
Afterwards, Hera put the eyes on the tail of her sacred
peacock.
Hermes was also responsible with delivering the dead
to the Netherworld. He supported the Trojans during the
Trojan War.
NAME Herne
EPITHET Herne the Hunter
GENDER M
SYMBOL horned man on a horned horse
CATEGORY deity / hunter
TYPE god of the wild hunt / god of animal fertility
CULTURE Briton
COUNTRY England
SITES Windsor Great Park
ACCESSORIES black horse / pack of hounds
SEE ALSO Cernunnos / Gwynn ap Nudd
REMARKS Herne the Hunter was a god of the wild hunt. He
was dressed in the hide of a stag and had a stag skull with
antlers on his head. He rode a black horse with horns, and
had a pack of hounds to assist him on his hunt. He was
surrounded by a phosphoric blue light.
The ghost of Herne still haunts Windsor Great Park and
was associated with a great oak blown down on August 31, AD
1863. The characteristics and name share a common theme
with Cernunnos and Gwynn ap Nudd.
EPITHET Heveydd Hen (Heveydd the Ancient) / Master of
the Wand
ALTERNATIVE Havgan / Hefeydd / Hyfaidd
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain / ovate
TYPE supernatural / sorcerer
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Wales
REGION Isle of Man
TERRITORY The Otherworld - The Underworld (Annwn)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Rhiannon (daughter)
ENEMIES Arawn / Pwyll
SEE ALSO Amaethon / Arawn / Gwyddion / Math / Pwyll /
Rhiannon
REMARKS Heveydd was an ovate from the Isle of Man
(Annwn) and he and Math were accused of releasing storms
that caused the sea to lash the land. Gwyddion and
Amaethon built a dyke that kept the sea out.
Heveydd fought a yearly ritual combat with Arawn,
another ovate from Annwn. The two warriors were of equal
power and every year the battle ended in a draw. One year
when the two warriors were fighting from the backs of their
horses, Arawn's sword split the boss of Heveydd's shield in
two and he went flying backwards over the rear of his
horse, landing on the ground.
Heveydd suspected he was fighting someone else in the
guise of Arawn and tried to trick him into hitting him
again. The second strike against him would release his
supernatural powers and he would be unbeatable, but whoever
his combatant was, he did not strike again and Heveydd
died.
NAME Hoel
EPITHET Hoel the Great (Hywel Mawr)
ALTERNATIVE Hywel (Welsh)
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior / Brenin
TYPE head chieftain
CULTURE Cymry (tribes that fight side by side)
COUNTRY France / England
TERRITORY Armorica
LANDMARKS Usk
SITES Southhampton / Caerleon-on-Usk (Kaerusk) /
Helena's Tomb (Mont-Saint-Michel) / Alclud
AGE Post-Roman
DATES AD 6th c
RELATIVES Anne (mother); Boudicius (father); Arthur
(cousin); Constans, Aurelius and Uther (uncles)
Helena (niece)
ENEMIES Germani / Picts / Scots / Danes / Norse
SEE ALSO Arthur / Aurelius / Cador / Gwalchmai mab Gwyar
/ Uther
REMARKS Hoel was head chieftain of the Britons of
Aremorica, the one territory in Gaul that managed to stay
free of the Roman yoke. When his cousin Arthur sent him a
message asking for help to rid England and Wales of the
invading Celtic and Germani tribes, Hoel left Aremorica
with a fleet carrying 15,000 horse-warriors and landed at
Southampton.
Hoel and Arthur then marched on present-day Lincoln
and put the invaders to flight. The warriors of the
Germani sailed around the island, landed at Totnes and then
marched to Bath, killing and destroying all the way. Hoel
was recovering from sickness in Alclud when it was attacked
by Picts and Scots. Hoel held off the attackers until
Arthur and Cador arrived with reinforcements and helped him
drive them away.
After the islands of Britain and Ireland had been
brought under the control for Arthur, Hoel and his troops
set sail for Gaul. He took command of one half of the army
and led them into the territory of the Poitevins in
Aquitanica where they fought against warriors of a
chieftain named Guitard. After many battles, Hoel defeated
Guitard and brought the territory under his control. He
then went back to England for the feast Arthur had planned
at his camp at Caerleon-on-Usk. During a discussion of the
Roman demand that Arthur and his people pay tribute, Hoel
praised Arthur's speech which suggested that maybe Rome
should pay tribute to them.
When the army of Britons returned to Gaul to do battle
with troops of the decaying Roman empire, Hoel was informed
that his niece had been captured by a giant from Spain.
Forces loyal to him had the giant surrounded but none had
returned from trying to rescue her. Arthur challenged the
giant to combat and won, but too late to save the maiden.
Hoel buried his niece under a tumulus on the peak of Mont-
Saint-Michel.
Hoel was put in command of the fourth division of
Celtic warriors, with Gwalchmai as his second-in-command.
Their division faced the first charge of the Roman legions
and were slowly being pushed back by the numerically-
superior force. Arthur, who had been holding his division
in reserve, then added his troops and the combined forces
put the Romans to flight. Gwalchmai returned to Britain
with Arthur and Hoel stayed in France. Hoel gained a
reputation as a peace-maker and became known as Hoel the
Great.
NAME Hu Gardarn
EPITHET The Bold Deliverer / The Mighty Inspector
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity / hero / ovate / guide
TYPE god of the druid / historical poet
CULTURE Pictish
COUNTRY Turkey / France / Switzerland / Germany /
England
REGION Brittany / Yorkshire
TERRITORY Thrace / Gaul / Llydaw / Pretani Island / Lloegr
LANDMARKS Mediterranean / North Sea - Mor Tawch (Ocean of
Mist) / Loire
SITES The Land of Hav (Land of Summer) / Gogmagog
Hills (Troy)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 15th-13th c / BC 13th c
ACCESSORIES oxen
ENEMIES Trojans
SEE ALSO Gogmagog
REMARKS During the time when the Sea People were
terrorizing the eastern Mediterranean, Hu Gardarn gathered
together a group of the warriors and led them to the Land
of Hav (Land of Summer) around present-day Istanbul where
he divided them into tribes (Defrobani - awaken the
banners). Sometime around BC 15th-13th century he guided
them from Turkey across the continent of Europe to the
North Sea - Mor Tawch (Ocean of Mist) where they split into
two major groups.
One group of tribes travelled south, settling in Gaul,
from the Bodensee in Switzerland to the Loire river in
Llydaw (Brittany). The second group settling in the
Danube, Rhine and Main area and in BC 13th century warriors
of the tribes joined with the Achaean forces that crossed
to present-day England and helped destroyed Troy (Gogmagog
Hills). The old Goidel island came under the control of
the invaders and became known as the Pretani Island (Ynys
Prydain) or Island of the Picts.
Hu Gardarn had shown his people how to cultivate the
land. He used his oxen to repair the lake so it would not
burst its banks again and flood the land and he created
poetry to preserve the memories of the people.