Who is Zeus: mythology, use of the name and other facts

You don't have to be a big fan of mythology and ancient history to know who Zeus is. The head god of the Greek pantheon has been known to many since school lessons, when the history curriculum was more like a beautiful fairy tale than a serious science. The ancient Greeks who created the legends of Zeus gave him so many unique qualities, abilities and related stories.

Even today, we still find references to Zeus in our works of art, even if we are not too familiar with Greek mythology, as he is a recognizable, powerful image which has had a huge influence on cultures around the world. It is also used in other spheres, such as business and advertising.

Zeus in mythology

In order to understand the significance of the image, we will need a little background. In ancient Greece, the pantheon of deities was very human - these people believed that they were the likeness of their gods, and the gods in turn were their likeness. That is why the myths from those times are so interesting, lively and full of detail - they are full of human images.

The most striking of these images is Zeus, an archetypal yet contradictory figure, far from always represented by the Greeks in the monotonous and boring image of the god-father.

How did the Greeks represent the most important of their deities?

Zeus is known to all as a mighty man, usually seated on a throne or throwing lightning bolts from clouds or a chariot. Apart from his natural authority over the other inhabitants of Olympus (by right of paternity), Zeus possessed unlimited power over thunder and lightning.

It is clear, why Greeks attributed him exactly this natural power - element of lightning frightened ancient people very much, and sky torn by flashes of lightning and loud sounds could not be perceived otherwise than as anger. That is why Zeus is usually represented as an angry, strict and quick to kill people who break his will.

Some interesting mythological facts:

1. As the gods were a direct reflection of humans, these heavenly beings lived by the same rules as their subjects on earth. Zeus had a wife, the beautiful Hera, and a great many children.
2. Almost all the other gods in the pantheon of Olympus, who were central to the Greeks and represented the most important phenomena, are directly descended from Zeus as children, usually from his lawful wife Hera. These are Apollo (sun god), Aphrodite (goddess of love and beauty), Hephaestus (smith god), Ares (war god), Athena (hunter goddess) and many others.
3. In addition to the gods Zeus is the father of many demigod heroes, such as the famous Hercules.
4. Zeus retains power on Olympus not only by brute force but also by acting as a kind of balancer between his all-powerful children. The Greeks revered him as a symbol of paternal wisdom, but he did not make his image perfect - for example, he had a serious conflict with his brother Hades.

As you can see, the Greeks did as much work on their central deity as any modern screenwriter. It is a complex image that appeals to many different sides of his character. 

Can Zeus be considered a good god?

There is no definite answer to this question, because the concept of morality in ancient Greece was very different from what modern man understands it to be. With unrivalled respect for power, the Greeks worshipped Zeus despite his controversial personality.

Today's historians regard Zeus as a realistic image of the father of those times. Due to different morals and other conditions of life, his behaviour is not ideal, but he fulfils the main duties assigned to him by his social role. Among these duties are to bring the family together and to govern so as to prevent any interest group from gaining the upper hand.

The popularity of Zeus in the world

It would seem - where is Greek civilisation in all its greatness now? Greece is still there, but it has long ago chosen other benchmarks for development, and it has also diminished considerably in size. The legacy of ancient civilisation, on the other hand, is still hugely popular.

The Greek Pantheon - at least 5-10 of its basic representatives will be named by any educated man, and the name of the Thunderer will be one of the first in such a list. Not surprisingly, the central mythological figure is the one people remember the most. 

Is there still a cult of Zeus?

Any deity, even a deity long dead in the public mind, still has admirers. Antique mythology has long since lost the status of an official religion, but there are individual followers who sincerely respect his symbols and are convinced that they carry some kind of energy.

The classic symbols of Zeus are:

1. The image on the throne. The Greeks emphasized that the god-father had power over the whole pantheon, therefore most often depicted him on a throne.
2. Lightning. According to mythology, Zeus did not simply subdue lightning, but threw it from the sky with his own hands - not surprisingly, the schematic zig-zag representations of lightning became his symbol.
3. A thundercloud with lightning. A symbol that could be seen as neutral without context, but it is also used.

All this symbolism is placed in thematic creations and transferred into amulets, pendants and other jewellery. Those who wear them either truly identify themselves as worshippers or simply demonstrate their respect for the qualities endowed by this all-powerful god. 

Where is the name Zeus used in contemporary culture

It makes sense that with such a level of influence on humanity around the world, the image of the Greek supreme deity could not help but imprint itself on popular culture. There are many references to the Thunderer in movies, video games, books and other ways of communicating information to the consumer.

Even without the adaptation of the classics, the image of the god or "references" to him are very common. This is because such a familiar image is used more easily in culture - both creators and viewers already understand what they are being introduced to. 

Zeus in film, animation and games

A list of all the pictures, where the Thunderer appears, probably can not - they are too many, so I would like to note only a couple of the most significant.

• "Hercules" by Disney. This famous cartoon, which became a masterpiece of animation in its time and still enjoys popularity, as you can understand from the title, focuses entirely on the Greek gods. Zeus is portrayed as a loving father to his son Hercules and as an incredibly powerful god.
• "Thor: Love and Thunder". Fans have been waiting a long time for Thunderer to appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, since the comics have such a hero. In the fourth installment, they've been waiting for the Thunderer to make an appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Here Zeus appears more realistic and versatile, and not so weak in comparison with the main hero, as it may seem at first.

The god can also be found in many video games. For example, in the famous series of exclusives for SONY PlayStation - God of War, he acts as the main opponent of the hero, the new god of war Kratos. But even in the guise of a villain, the main god of the Greek pantheon does not change his image - he is still interesting, formidable and powerful.