The God Of Thunder: What To Know of Zeus & His Temples

Zeus is the Olympian god of the sky and thunder. He was the king of all other gods as well as the supreme lord over the realm of men. He was the chief figure in Greek mythology and famous for his infidelity to his sister and wife, Hera.

He is the Greek counterpart to the later Roman equivalent god of Jupiter. Even one of the seven wonders of the ancient world was a seated statue of Zeus. Today, Zeus is undoubtedly one of the most famous of all Greek gods. One of the best places to learn about Zeus is his "home" of Olympus in Greece.

What To Know Of Zeus

His children include many of the most famous gods and goddesses like his legitimate children Hephaestus, Hebe, and Ares and his other kids - Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Hermes, Dionysus, Hercules, Helen of Troy, and the Muses. He was notable for his many erotic affairs and apparently had a high libido.

Parents: He Was The Son of Cronus and Rhea
Children: Athena, Apollo and Artemis, Hermes, Dionysus, Heracles, Helen of Troy, and the Muses (Legitimate Children Where Hephaestus, Hebe, and Ares)

He was seen by the Greeks as an "allfather" and chief of the gods. It was he who assigned roles to the other gods.

His symbols include the thunderbolts, the eagle, the bull, and the oak. He is generally depicted in one of three poses:

Standing: In Power

Striding Forward: With A Thunderbolt In His Right Hand

Seated: In Majesty

It is worthwhile to learn something about this paramount Greek god when visiting temples other sites across the former Greek world. It helps to add so much more meaning to what one sees.

The Statue of Zeus At Olympia - Seven Wonders

Unfortunately, all of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World are now destroyed and lost to time (except for the Great Pyramid of Giza). Notably, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon still haven't been found.

While one will never be able to see the Statue of Zeus, one can know that it was truly impressive for its inclusion into the Seven Wonders.

Seven Wonders: The Statue of Zeus Was One Of The Seven Wonders

The statue of Zeus at Olympia depicted the god of gods in a seated figure. It measured about 12.4 meters or 40 feet tall. It was created by the renowned Greek sculptor, Philidias at around 435 BC at the sanctuary of Olympia in Greece.

Height: 12.4 Meters or 40 Feet

It was built in the mighty Temple of Zeus there. The statue included ivory plates and gold panels on a wooden framework.

The throne on which Zeus sat was a painted cedarwood throne that was decorated with gold, ivory, precious stones, and ebony. It is known only from ancient Greek descriptions as well as being represented on ancient coins.

Destruction: During The 5th Century AD

Later on, Strabo noted in the 1st century BC that the impressive Zeus statue gave:

"the impression that if Zeus arose and stood erect he would unroof the temple."

As the Roman Empire converted to Christianity, pagan cults were banned and the temples were closed. Consequently, the sanctuary at Olympia fell into disuse. No one knows when or how the giant statue was eventually destroyed. One tradition has it that it was carried to Constantinople and was destroyed in a great fire in 475 AD.

Otherwise, the statue could have been destroyed in 425 AD when the temple was gravely damaged by fire.

The Temple of Zeus At Olympia

While the statue of Zeus may be completely lost to history. One can see the ruins of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia where it once sat. It was built in the second quarter of the fifth century BC and is one of the most rewarding places to visit for those interested in ancient Greek mythology.

It is said that temple rose to its pediment 20.7 meters or 68 feet. It was 29 meters or 95 feet wide and 70 meters or 230 feet long.

It was not constructed of marble but rather of the more unattractive local limestone. To counteract that it was coated in a layer of stucco to make it look like marble.

Temple of Olympian Zeus

Perhaps the next most famous dedicated temple to Zeus is in Athens. It was first built in the 6th century BC during the rule of the Athenian tyrants. But it was not finished over 600 years later in the reign of Roman Emperor Hadrian.

It was the largest temple in Greece and was home to one of the largest cult statues of anywhere in the ancient world. Shortly (around a century) after it was built, it was ransacked by barbarians in 267 AD and soon fell into disrepair.

One can see the ruins today - even though most of its stone was used for other later works in the city.