![]() Zeus is considered to be one of the greatest gods in Greek mythology, in Roman mythology he is known as Jupiter. Zeus was the father of gods and men, protector of kings, supporter of law and order and avenger of broken oaths and other offenses. He watched over the state, the family and strangers, his hand wielded lightning and guided the stars, he gathered rain clouds, he ordained the changes of the seasons and regulated the whole course of nature, and with his other gods on Mount Olympus, Zeus ruled over the affairs of mankind. According to legend after a ten-year struggle on Mount Olympus, Zeus overthrows his father Cronus and expelled him and the rest of the older dynasty of the Titans back to Tartarus (the infernal abyss below Hades). He also withstood the attacks of the giants and the conspiracies of the other gods. Zeus divided up the universe between his remaining family of gods, allotting himself the empire of the heaven and air. His brother Hades (called Pluto by the Romans) was given that of the infernal regions, and Poseidon (Neptune) that of the sea. The Earth he left under the joint rule of the three. The wife of Zeus was Hera (Juno), queen of the gods. Their union was regarded as the divine prototype of all earthly marriages, even though Zeus was not always faithful to Hera. Some authorities explain his indiscretions by saying that many adventures of the other gods were ascribed to Zeus. The 4th of the then Seven Wonders of the ancient world was said to have been a statue of Zeus by Phidias which was placed in the great temple of Zeus at Olympia. The figure stood about 40 feet (12 meters) high and was made of ivory and gold in about 430 BC. The design is known from its image stamped on certain Greek coins. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Copyright © 2001-2004, Chinababee -- All Rights
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