Vesta was Jupiter's sister. She had three famous brothers, actually - Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto. She had two very famous sisters - Juno, queen of the gods, and Ceres, queen of the harvest. Vesta herself was the goddess of hearth and home.
Vesta held a seat on the Roman Council of 12 gods, the Dei Consentes. In time, she turned her seat on the Council over to the god Bacchus. Vestus know Bacchus would do a much job protecting the Romans in their quest to conquer and expand the Roman world.
Vesta was a stay at home goddess. She rarely appeared in human form. She represented herself as a flame in her temple.
Vesta, the goddess of hearth and home, was not as important, perhaps, to the ancient Roman women as she was to the ancient Greek women. Roman women had far more freedom, especially under the empire. They were not always home. Both Roman and Greek women took comfort in this powerful goddess whose job it was to watch over their hearth and home and family, whether they were home themselves or not.
