Halia of Rhodes
Rhodian woman who became the sea-goddess Leucothea.
Halia (Ancient Greek: Ἁλία, meaning "dweller in the sea," also spelled Ἁλίη) appears in Rhodian mythology as a mortal woman who later became the sea-goddess Leucothea. She was the daughter of Thalassa, the personification of the sea, and the sister of the Telchines; the identity of her father, if she had one, is unknown. The sea-god Poseidon fell in love with her, and she bore him six sons and one daughter, Rhodos, who later married the sun-god Helios and gave her name to the island of Rhodes.
According to the historian Diodorus Siculus, the Telchines raised the infant Poseidon on behalf of his mother Rhea. When Poseidon grew up, he became the lover of Halia, his tutors' sister, and fathered her seven children. Later, as the goddess Aphrodite traveled from Cythera to Cyprus, she tried to stop at Rhodes, but Poseidon and Halia's arrogant and insolent sons drove her away. In anger, Aphrodite cursed the sons with madness, causing them to rape their own mother and commit violent acts against the island's inhabitants. When Poseidon learned what had happened, he buried his sons deep underground. Halia, in despair, threw herself into the sea and was transformed into the goddess Leucothea—though in other traditions, Leucothea is usually identified with the Theban queen Ino, daughter of King Cadmus. The Rhodians worshipped Halia as a divine being.
- Field
- Greek mythology
- Known for
- Lover of Poseidon, mother of his children, transformation into Leucothea
- Mythological origin
- Rhodian tradition
- Parent
- Thalassa (mother), father uncertain
- Siblings
- Telchines
Lore & Background
According to the account by Diodorus Siculus, Halia's brother the Telchines nurtured the infant Poseidon, entrusted on them by his mother Rhea. When Poseidon grew up, he fell in love with his tutors' sister Halia, and had six sons and one daughter by her. The daughter, Rhodos, later became the wife of the sun-god Helios and the one after whom the island of Rhodes was named.
Years later, while the goddess Aphrodite was journeying from Cythera to Cyprus, she attempted to make a stop at Rhodes. However, the sons of Poseidon and Halia, who were arrogant and insolent men, drove the goddess away. In anger, Aphrodite cursed them with madness so they raped their own mother, Halia, and committed many acts of violence upon the natives. When Poseidon learnt of this, he buried his children deep beneath the soil as Halia cast herself at the sea. She then became the goddess Leucothea, who is usually in other traditions identified with the Theban queen Ino instead, the daughter of king Cadmus. She was worshipped as a divine being by the Rhodians.
Reader's Guide
Halia's significance lies in her role as a local Rhodian mythological figure who bridges mortal and divine realms. Her story, preserved by Diodorus Siculus, illustrates themes of divine love, familial tragedy, and apotheosis. As the mother of Rhodos, she is indirectly linked to the naming of the island of Rhodes, a major cultural and historical center in the ancient Greek world. Her transformation into Leucothea, a sea-goddess, highlights the fluidity of identity in Greek mythology, where figures can shift from human to divine status. The account also underscores the destructive consequences of hubris, as her sons' arrogance toward Aphrodite leads to their downfall and her own suffering. Halia's worship by the Rhodians as a divine being reflects the local adaptation of broader mythological narratives, emphasizing the importance of regional traditions in the Greek mythological corpus. Her story is a cautionary tale about the power of the gods and the fragility of mortal life, yet it also offers a path to immortality through transformation.
Did You Know?
- Halia was a daughter of Thalassa, the personification of the sea, and sister to the Telchines.
- After her sons raped her due to a curse from Aphrodite, Halia cast herself into the sea and became the goddess Leucothea.
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