Zeus is perhaps the most famous of the Olympian gods, as he is the ruler of the gods and the “slayer” of the Titans. He banished his father, the Titan “Cronus”, and the other Titans to the underworld, thereby saving the Olympian gods and establishing their rule. Zeus is the god of thunder and lightening, and he is commonly displayed with his characteristic “lightning bolt”.

He is often displayed striding forward, thunderbolt in his raised right hand, or seated on his throne.

Mythology

The significance of Zeus was that he ended the age of the Titans and ushered in the age of the Olympians. His father, Cronus, had many children (and subsequently ate them all in order to ensure his continued rule). Among the children that were eaten were Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon. Once Cronus had been defeated by Zeus (explained in a moment) those children were freed from Cronus’ oppression (his stomach, according to myth).

When Zeus was born his mother (Rhea) switched his body with a rock, which Cronus swallowed and was content to believe that Zeus was been eaten. At this point there is variation in the myth depending on the source. The most common myth is that Zeus was raised by Gaia, though other popular variations are:

• He was raised by Amalthea, a goat. A company of Kouretes danced and shouted during this time.
• He was raised by Adamanthea, a nymph. She hid him by handing on a rope from a tree that suspended him between the three planes of Cronus’s vision (Earth, Sea, and Sky).
• He was raised by a nymph named Cynosura. It is said that Zeus placed her among the stars to show his gratitude.
• He was raised by Melissa on goats milk and honey.

Once Zeus became an adult he forced his father (Cronus, the Titan) to “throw up” all that he had swallowed, starting with the most recent (the rock). What makes the rock significant is that it was set down at Pytho as a sign to mortal man. Then his brothers and sisters, in the reverse order by which they had been swallowed, were “thrown up”. After his siblings had been release Zeus then forced Cronus to release his own siblings (known as the Gigantes, the Hecatonchires, and the Cyclops) from their prison in Tartarus), and together they battled the Titans and, victorious, banished the Titans to Tartarus in the underworld.

Zeus in Popular Culture and Recent Media

Zeus has been displayed countless time in recent media in video games, movies, comic books, and classic literature. Some of the more popular pop culture references have been in the “Zeus” series of video games which, ironically enough, are considered “God Games”. In a “God Game” you are the all powerful diety, and you create/destroy as you see fit. Other examples of this type of game are Sim City or Roller Coaster Tycoon.

Many recent Disney movies (Hercules) display Greek mythology quite clearly, with images of Zeus being thrown in as well.

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