Who is Zeus: from ancient mythology to modern times
In Greek mythology Zeus is the god of the sky, thunder and lightning. He was believed to be in charge of the entire world. The ancient Romans identified him with Jupiter.
As for the attributes of this deity, these were considered to be:
- A double-edged axe.
- A shield.
- An eagle.
The ancient Greeks believed that Zeus distributed evil and good in the world. They believed he was the one who put conscience and shame in people. Zeus was seen as a formidable force, often associated with fate. Legend has it that he is the one who reveals destiny in dreams.
He was considered to be the most important of the gods of Olympus because he managed to defeat his father Kronos - when Zeus grew up he managed to rip open his parent's belly and thus freed his sisters and brothers. There is another version of his victory over his father - he made a potion that made Cronus spit out his older children.
In today's world Zeus is often spoken of, as he is interesting because the gods of Olympus attempted to overthrow him, namely Poseidon, Athena and Apollo, supported by Hera. They chained him to his bed to imprison him in Tartarus. Zeus was saved from being overthrown by the goddess Thetis, who turned to Briareos for help and freed him. More about Zeus and the use of the name in modern times - on the site whoiszeus.ca.
Mythology
The ancient Greeks called Zeus the thunderer because he was the possessor of thunder and lightning and sent down thunder. He was believed to punish the disobedient with his lightning. According to legend, even the other gods honoured him. When he entered his palace on Olympus, all the deities would respectfully stand in front of him. When Zeus spoke his will, he moved his eyebrows and confirmed his words with a nod of his head. Olympus swayed from foot to top.
Zeus had three wives:
- Metida, swallowed by Zeus.
- Themis - she was the one who helped Zeus control human destinies. She ensured that the laws enacted by Zeus were followed everywhere on the Earth and on Olympus. She punished the guilty with her sword. At the same time Themis was blindfolded, so she could be a fair judge and would not succumb to sympathies.
- Hera - she was the last official wife of Zeus. According to Callimachus, when Cronus ruled the world, Hera and Zeus hid their marriage for 300 years.
Zeus also had many mistresses. For example Europa, Demeter, Mnemosyne, Io, Eurynoma, Leto.
Zeus had 10 children. Besides Apollo, Artemis and Athena they were Ares, Aphrodite, Kratos. Zeus' children were Hephaestus, Hermes, Dionysus and Persephone.
The cult of Zeus in the world
The place where Zeus is worshipped is his temple at Olympia. It is one of the most revered Greek temples. It was once the centre of the architectural ensemble of Olympia.
The Temple of Zeus at Olympia is a typical hypetral building. That is, it has no roof over the middle part where the statue of the deity stands. The temple is built of limestone.
Inside the temple there is a statue of Zeus by Fidius. The statue sits on a pedestal where there is also a throne made of precious stones and gold. In the left hand of the statue of the deity is a sceptre with an eagle, while in the right hand stands the goddess Nika, made of gold.
The eastern gable of the temple is decorated with a group of statues by the master Peonius. This sculptural group depicts the preparations for the chariot competition. Zeus himself oversees the preparations. As for the western pediment, it depicts a battle scene between centaurs and lapithi.
One of the popular sculptures dedicated to Zeus are the Three Graces. This sculpture is made of marble. It depicts three Graces whose names are Thalia, Aglaia and Euphrosyne. One version of this sculpture is in the Hermitage Museum, while another is in the Victoria Museum.
The statue of Jupiter in the Hermitage is also interesting. It is a colossal sculpture of the deity which was created by an unknown Roman master in the first century AD. The sculpture is a popular exhibit at the museum, as the statue of Jupiter is a significant monument from the Flavian period as it bears the characteristics of art from that period.
Movies, games, TV series
One of the films that focuses on this ancient Greek deity is Blood of Zeus. This film tells the story of how Heron accidentally discovers that he is the son of Zeus and his task is to save the world from a demonic army.
As far as computer games go, Zeus Quest Remastered is dedicated to Zeus. The protagonist of this game is Zeus, who not only fixes the time machine, but also saves the world. While exploring the islands of Ancient Greece, the protagonist will meet unusual characters and will be able to amuse the player with funny comments.
Ancient Greece is known for its interesting mythology, an important part of which is the main deity Zeus. You can find out more about him in this article.