The greatest and most powerful god in ancient Greek mythology was Zeus. He was considered the ruler of gods and humans as well as the protector of cities, homes, and guests. It was believed that Zeus sent thunder, lightning, rain, and winds to the Earth. In Roman mythology Zeus is associated with the god Jupiter because they share many of the same characteristics. Two of Zeus's symbols are the thunderbolt, which is also his weapon, and the eagle.

Origins

Zeus was the son of the Titan rulers Cronus and Rhea. Cronus was said to have heard that one of his children was going to destroy him. To prevent this, he swallowed his children right after they were born. This upset his wife, Rhea. When Zeus was born, she tricked Cronus into swallowing a rock wrapped in a cloth rather than the baby. Zeus was then sent to a cave, where he lived until he was an adult.

Ruler of the gods

Zeus grew up and wanted to take control of his father Cronus' kingdom. Using a magic potion, he released his brothers and sisters from Cronus' stomach. With his two brothers, Zeus fought for ten years to force the Titans from power. Finally Zeus won and became the chief god, with power over heaven. His brother Poseidon became the god of the sea, and his brother Hades became the god of the underworld. Zeus watched humans from the top of Mount Olympus, where the main gods and goddesses were said to live. Zeus and the other gods often got involved with life on Earth, sometimes by helping and other times by hurting humankind.

Marriage and children

Zeus's wife was the beautiful Hera, queen of the gods. Zeus and Hera had a stormy relationship. Zeus fell in love with many other women, causing Hera to be extremely jealous and angry. According to legend, Zeus was the father of many children, including the gods Apollo, Artemis, Athena, and Ares.

Zeus in Olympia

Olympia, a city in Greece, was one of the many places where Zeus was honored. In the 5th century BC the Greeks built a large temple there that held one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, an enormous statue of Zeus. It stood about 40 feet (12 meters) high and was made of ivory and gold. Eventually the statue was destroyed, though some remains of the temple still exist.

In addition to the Temple of Zeus, the people of Olympia honored the chief god in another way. They held a great festival every four years during which athletes from all over the ancient world competed in games to earn honor for their cities. This event was the ancient beginning of the modern Olympic Games.