In ancient Greece, as in our time, people created stories. For example, there was no way to share them on the Internet, so the oral tradition was necessary.
A person would develop a narrative about some natural phenomenon or moral lesson, and the story would spread quickly. Gradually the myths evolved.
These stories told from one person to another, represented in sculptures and writings, became known as Greek mythology.
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| Zeus - the Popularity of the Main God of Greek Mythology: eAskme |
From them, Greek concepts could be promoted, various figures worshiped, and the population entertained.
Just as monotheists and Christians believed in God, Greek polytheists believed in the existence of gods and goddesses.
Among them is the god who was the father of all others: Zeus.
In pop culture, he is called a strong, virile, bearded, and sometimes fierce man who wears lightning bolts on his back and can cause terrible storms.
He is even the father of Hercules, a myth widely explored by audiovisual works.
But do you know everything about one of the most powerful gods of Olympus?
Uncover the history and secrets that Zeus hides and join the people who consider him a great source of inspiration!
The Origin of Zeus:
The father of all the gods, Zeus, is the most powerful in Greek mythology.
He is known as the god of the sky, lightning, and lightning and acts as the judge of divine and earthly affairs.
In the Romans, he is called Jupiter. But though he was a father to everyone, he was born to someone, right?
Zeus is the son of Cronus and Rhea, the youngest among his siblings: Demeter, Hades, Hestia, Hera, Poseidon, and Chiron.
However, the birth of Zeus carries with it a dark history that defines very well the idea that the gods are imperfect and that the desire to maintain their power may be greater than their love for their children.
Learn more about this in the myth of Zeus!
Who did Zeus kill?
The myth of Zeus begins with his father, Cronus.
After learning of a prophecy foretold that one of his children would take his place when he was born, Cronus began absorbing all those born to Rhea.
In this way, he prevented the emergence of new gods who might be more powerful than him.
However, Rhea thought otherwise.
When pregnant with Zeus, she met Gaia, and the two goddesses devised a strategy to deceive Cronus.
Rhea gave birth on the island of Crete, and when it was time to give her son to Cronus, she gave him a stone with baby clothes on it.
Inattentive, Cronus swallowed the stone, not realizing that Zeus was still alive.
There are two versions of what Zeus did when he came of age. First, the god would make Cronus spew out all his brothers, whom he swallowed.
In the second, he would open up Cronus' belly and set them free. In the third version, Zeus had to deliver a magic potion to Cronus, making him vomit up the other gods.
In any case, Zeus proved more powerful than Kronos, releasing new gods into the world.
In addition, Zeus freed Cronus' brothers, who were imprisoned.
These were the Cyclopes, Giants, and Hecatonchires, who joined Zeus in defeating Cronus.
Unfortunately, the devourer of the gods also had help. With the Titans as allies, Cronus waged a battle against his brothers and their children.
Zeus was the victor of this great battle, which ended with Cronus's death and the Titans' expulsion into Tartarus.
Cyclops gave Zeus lightning and thunder to exercise his power over the world with majesty and dignity.
The Cult of Zeus:
Zeus was the god worshiped for being the great savior of his brothers and putting an end to the tyranny of Kronos.
To the Greeks, he is a symbol of justice and manliness.
The main cult of the god took place in Olympia every four years, including the Olympic Games competition.
At that time, the cult of the body was closely related to the image of strength that Zeus broadcast.
Since Crete is the birthplace of Zeus, there were numerous cults here.
Coins were minted depicting the god, and sacrifices were made in his honor in several caves.
Because he was such an influential figure and so important to mythology, this celebration was common in other parts of Greek territory.
Another way of honoring Zeus was by making oracles dedicated to him. The oracle, in general, functioned as a system of divination.
A person would ask the oracle a question, and it would metaphorically answer what was to happen.
There was an oracle dedicated to Zeus at Dodona and another at Siva.
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