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Hades is always represented as a stern, dark, bearded man, with tightly closed lips, a crown on his head, a scepter and a key in hand, to show how carefully he guards those who enter his domains, and how vain are their hopes to escape. No temples were dedicated to him and his statues are very rare. Black animals were sacrificed to him and it is believed that at one time even human sacrifices were offered. Every hundred years festivals were held in his honor - The Secular Games.
Hades wife, and queen of the underworld, was Persephone daughter of Zeus and Demeter. Persephone did not marry Hades willingly, but was abducted by him, because she ate a pomegranate seed while she was in the underworld even Zeus was powerless to get her out of there when Demeter told him what had happened. Eventually a deal was worked out, Persephone would spend half the year with her mother and the other half with Hades in the underworld. The Greeks believed that while Persephone was with Hades her mother, Demeter, missed her so much that she withdrew her gifts from the world and winter came.
Hades' weapon was a two-pronged fork, which he used to shatter anything that was in his way or not to his liking, much like Poseidon did with his trident. His identifying possessions were the famed helmet, given to him by the Cyclopes, which made anyone who wore it, invisible and his dark chariot drawn by four coal- black steeds, always an impressive site.
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The Roman worship of Vesta, their name for Hestia, was more elaborate. They believed that her cult was first brought into their country, Latinum, by Aeneas. One of the early kings of Rome, Numa Pompilius, built a temple in her honor, where the famous Palladium of Troy was preserved, brought there by Aeneas and believed to be an image of Athena or a shield that "has fallen out of the heaven." The welfare of the whole city was believed to depend on the preservation of the sacred flame kept in the temple and attended be priestesses called the Vestal Virgins. First there were four Vestal Virgins, later six; they were under the control of Pontifex Maximus, the head of the priestly college which directed the religious affairs in Rome. When there was a vacancy he was the one who elected a new Vestal. The candidate had to be between six and ten years old, perfect in mind and body, and of Italian birth. The training took ten years, another ten were spent in carrying out the sacred duties, and finally, ten more in training the instructing novices. At the age of forty, the Vestal was free to return to the outside world and even take a husband if she wished. The cult of Vesta was observed in Rome until the year 380, when the sacred fire was quenched and the priestesses dispersed by Byzantian Emperor Theodosius.
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To the people Hermes was the God of Commerce and the Market, patron of traders, merchants and thieves. In odd contrast he was also the Divine Herald, the solemn guide of the dead who leads their souls down to the underworld, after Thanatos did his job.
Because of a famous statue, Hermes' appearance is well known and he is easily recognized in art. He always wore his winged sandals and his winged cap (petassos); Caduceus, a magic wand given to him by Apollo was always with him as well. He invented quite a few things, some of which are: the lyre, the pipes, the musical scale, astronomy, weights and measures, boxing, gymnastics and the care of olive trees.
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