Parents: Cronus and Rhea

Birth: Cronus swallowed each of his children at birth to prevent a prophecy that one would overthrow him. Rhea hid baby Zeus in a cave on the island of Crete, giving Cronus a stone wrapped in cloth to swallow instead. Zeus was raised in secret by nymphs and the goat Amalthea.

Story: Zeus led the Olympians in a ten-year war called the Titanomachy to overthrow the Titans and his father Cronus. After their victory, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades drew lots to divide the world — Zeus won the sky and became king of the gods. He ruled from Mount Olympus, wielding his mighty thunderbolt forged by the Cyclopes. Zeus was known for his many love affairs with both goddesses and mortals, which often enraged his wife Hera. Despite his flaws, he was the upholder of justice and order among gods and men.

The Titanomachy: The war against the Titans lasted ten brutal years. Zeus freed the Cyclopes and the Hundred-Handed Ones from Tartarus, and in return, the Cyclopes forged his thunderbolt, Poseidon's trident, and Hades's helm of invisibility. With these weapons and their new allies, the Olympians finally defeated the Titans and cast them into Tartarus, a prison deep beneath the Underworld. Zeus then had to face one more threat — Typhon, a terrifying monster with a hundred dragon heads, sent by Gaia to avenge the Titans. After a fierce battle that shook the entire world, Zeus buried Typhon beneath Mount Etna in Sicily, where the ancient Greeks believed his struggles caused volcanic eruptions.

Zeus's Many Children: Zeus fathered countless gods, demigods, and heroes. Among his divine children were Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Hermes, Dionysus, and Persephone. His mortal children included some of the greatest heroes in mythology — Hercules, Perseus, and Helen of Troy. His habit of disguising himself to pursue mortal women was legendary — he appeared as a swan to Leda, a bull to Europa, and a shower of gold to Danaë. These affairs and the children they produced were a constant source of conflict with Hera.

Symbol: Thunderbolt, eagle, oak tree.

Represents: The sky, thunder, lightning, law, order, and justice.