DuckstersDucksters
History Biography Geography Science Games

Ancient Greece

Zeus

History >> Ancient Greece



God of: The sky, lightning, thunder, and justice
Symbols: Thunderbolt, eagle, bull, and the oak tree
Parents: Cronus and Rhea
Children: Ares, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Aphrodite, Dionysus, Hermes, Heracles, Helen of Troy, Hephaestus
Spouse: Hera
Abode: Mount Olympus
Roman name: Jupiter


Zeus was the king of the Greek gods who lived on Mount Olympus. He was the god of the sky and thunder. His symbols include the lightning bolt, the eagle, the bull, and the oak tree. He was married to the goddess Hera.

What powers did Zeus have?

Zeus was the most powerful of the Greek gods and had a number of powers. His most famous power is the ability to throw lightning bolts. His winged horse Pegasus carried his lightning bolts and he trained an eagle to retrieve them. He could also control the weather causing rain and huge storms.

Zeus also had other powers. He could mimic people's voices to sound like anyone. He could also shape shift so that he looked like an animal or a person. If people made him angry, sometimes he would turn them into animals as punishment.
Statue of Zeus
Zeus
Photo by Marie-Lan Nguyen

Brothers and Sisters

Zeus had several brothers and sisters who were also powerful gods and goddesses. He was the youngest, but the most powerful of three brothers. His oldest brother was Hades who ruled the Underworld. His other brother was Poseidon, god of the sea. He had three sisters including Hestia, Demeter, and Hera (who he married).

Children

Zeus had a number of children. Some of his children were Olympic gods such as Ares, Apollo, Artemis, Athena, Aphrodite, Hermes and Dionysus. He also had some children who were half human and were heroes such as Hercules and Perseus. Other famous children include the Muses, the Graces, and Helen of Troy.

How did Zeus become king of the gods?

Zeus was the sixth child of the Titan gods Cronus and Rhea. Zeus' father Cronus was worried that his children would become too powerful, so he ate his first five children. They didn't die, but they couldn't get out of his stomach either! When Rhea had Zeus, she hid him from Cronus and Zeus was raised in the forest by Nymphs.

When Zeus grew older he wanted to rescue his brothers and sisters. He got a special potion and disguised himself so that Cronus would not recognize him. When Cronus drank the potion, he coughed up his five children. They were Hades, Poseidon, Demeter, Hera, and Hestia.

Cronus and the Titans were angry. They battled Zeus and his brothers and sisters for years. Zeus set the giants and Cyclopes of Earth free to help him fight. They gave the Olympians weapons to fight the Titans. Zeus got thunder and lightning, Poseidon got a powerful trident, and Hades a helm that made him invisible. The Titans surrendered and Zeus had them locked deep underground.

Mother Earth then became angry with Zeus for locking the Titans underground. She sent the world's most fearsome monster called the Typhon to fight the Olympians. The other Olympians ran and hid, but not Zeus. Zeus fought the Typhon and trapped him under Mount Etna. This is the legend of how Mount Etna became a volcano.

Now Zeus was the most powerful of all the gods. He and his fellow gods went to live on Mount Olympus. There Zeus married Hera and ruled over the gods and humans.

Interesting Facts about Zeus Activities For more about Ancient Greece:

Overview
Timeline of Ancient Greece
Geography
The City of Athens
Sparta
Minoans and Mycenaeans
Greek City-states
Peloponnesian War
Persian Wars
Decline and Fall
Legacy of Ancient Greece
Glossary and Terms

Arts and Culture
Ancient Greek Art
Drama and Theater
Architecture
Olympic Games
Government of Ancient Greece
Greek Alphabet

Daily Life
Daily Lives of the Ancient Greeks
Typical Greek Town
Food
Clothing
Women in Greece
Science and Technology
Soldiers and War
Slaves

People
Alexander the Great
Archimedes
Aristotle
Pericles
Plato
Socrates
25 Famous Greek People
Greek Philosophers

Greek Mythology
Greek Gods and Mythology
Hercules
Achilles
Monsters of Greek Mythology
The Titans
The Iliad
The Odyssey

The Olympian Gods
Zeus
Hera
Poseidon
Apollo
Artemis
Hermes
Athena
Ares
Aphrodite
Hephaestus
Demeter
Hestia
Dionysus
Hades

Works Cited

History >> Ancient Greece



Ducksters Footer Gif with Ducks


About Ducksters Privacy Policy 

 

This site is a product of TSI (Technological Solutions, Inc.), Copyright 2024, All Rights Reserved. By using this site you agree to the Terms of Use.