Gods,Heroes,Myths Greek Mythology Homer's epics,Expeditions

He was the supreme god of Olympus, son of Cronus and Rea, grandson of Uranus and Gaea. His siblings were Hera, Poseidon, Pluto, Hestia and Demeter. His father swallowed up the children that Rea was giving birth to, for he feared that a prophecy of Uranus might be fulfilled: that one of his children would take his throne. So Rea realized that she was only able to save the child she currently had in her bowels. As soon as she knew her time was near, she sang a stone and gave it to Cronus. When he swallowed it, she ran to Crete and gave birth to Zeus on Mount Dikti or Mount Idi. Afterwards she handed him over to the Kourites to keep him safe. The Nymphs Adrastea and Idi were assigned to feed him with the milk of a goat, called Amalthea.

As soon as the God became of age, he fought against Cronus and the other Titans and took power. His success was mainly based on the thunderbolt offered to him by the Cyclopes because he had freed them from the Tartarus. This was not the only war for Zeus. She waged a second one. This time against the Giants, who had revolted, and defeated them as well.

His wife was another daughter of Cronus, Hera. With her, he had sons and daughters: Hephaestus, Ares, Eve, and Eileithyia. In Dodona of Epirus, the people considered as his wife another goddess, Dione. The poet Hesiod states seven female goddesses, who have had many children with Zeus: Mete, Themis, Eurynome, Demeter, Mnemosyne, Leto and Mea. Other writers mention more goddesses as his wives.

Many children also came from his association with mortal women such as Semele, Alcmene, Leda, Europe, Danae, Io and many others. Naturally, all of them always had to face the wrath of Hera.

The Greeks believed that Zeus was the leader of gods and humans, superior and most powerful than all. The other gods were inferior to him to physical strength as well as authority. Nobody had the right to oppose him. He also controlled all natural phenomena. Thunder, lightning and thunderbolt were his weapons. They believed that he regulated the fortunes of mortals and connected him with all the manifestations of human life. Only one thing was stronger and above him: Destiny, that no one could escape its laws.

Of course, according to the ancient myth, the ruling of the world had been divided into three parts. Zeus had taken the etheric kingdom, Poseidon of the sea and Pluto of the Underworld. But the power of Zeus also penetrated the region of the other two gods. In addition to the above, ancient people attributed many other properties to him. They considered him the protector of the injured, and of oaths, guardian of cities, homes, family, guests, fires and beggars. They believed that he was the founder of the institution of the kingdom and the patron of the kings, the rulers and the parliament. He was the god who knew all that was happening in the human hearts and relieved them. He was the relentless punisher of those who committed evil deeds, but also the purgatory of the punished.

The worship of Zeus was spread all over Greece. They worshiped him mainly on the high peaks of the mountains, which exhibit his relationship with celestial phenomena. An important place of worship was in Dodoni, where it was combined with the oracular. Olympia was also a place devoted to him and the Olympic Games were held in his honor. The same were Nemea festivities in Nemea.

In classical art, Zeus is depicted as the personification of tranquility and grandeur. She was of high stature, hair waving like a mane, and a magnificent beard.

Symbols of his power were the thunderbolt, the eagle, the Nice, the scepter and the auspices