Aphaea (Greek φαία; not dark or vanisher) was a
Greek goddess who was worshipped exclusively at a single sanctuary on the island of
Aegina in the
Saronic Gulf. She originated as early as the 14th century BCE as a local deity associated with fertility and the agricultural cycle Under Athenian
hegemony, however, she came to be identified with the goddesses
Athena and
Artemis and with the nymph
Britomartis as well, by the 2nd century CE, the time of
Pausanias: On Aigina as one goes toward the mountain of Pan-Greek Zeus, the sanctuary of Aphaia comes up, for whom
Pindar composed an ode at the behest of the Aeginetans. The Cretans say (the myths about her are native to Crete) that Euboulos was the son of Karmanor, who purified
Apollo of the killing of the Python, and they say that Britomaris was the daughter of Zeus and Karme (the daughter of this Euboulos). She enjoyed races and hunts and was particularly dear to Artemis. While fleeing from Minos, who lusted after her, she cast herself into nets cast for a catch of fish.
Artemis made her a goddess, and not only the Cretans but also the Aeginetans reverence her. The Aeginetans say that Britomaris showed herself to them on their island. Her epithet among the Aeginetans is Aphaia, and it is Diktynna of the Nets on Crete.
Description of Greece 2.30.3
See more at Wikipedia.org...
[Greek] A Greek goddess of local importance who was worshipped on the island of Aegina where she had a temple. Some sources say she is the nymph Britomartis who fled from Crete, but she is also identified with Athena and Artemis.