Headless statuette of seated Zeus

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Zeus stands as the mighty sky god in ancient Greek mythology, ruling supreme as king of the gods on Mount Olympus. His name is deeply rooted in his Roman counterpart Jupiter, sharing similarities but not identical powers with Indo-European deities like Indra, Thor, and Odin. Born to Cronus and Rhea, Zeus is the youngest sibling, though sometimes considered eldest due to his unique birth circumstances. In most traditions, Zeus is married to Hera, with whom he fathers Ares, Hebe, and Hephaestus. However, at the Oracle of Dodona, his consort Dione gives birth to Aphrodite, as stated in the Iliad. Zeus's notorious romantic escapades lead to numerous godly and heroic offspring, including Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Hermes, Persephone, Dionysus, Perseus, Heracles, Helen of Troy, Minos, and the Muses. As the all-powerful father of the gods, Zeus holds a revered position, assigning roles to other deities: "Even the gods who are not his natural children address him as Father, and all the gods rise in his presence." He is often equated with foreign weather gods, making Pausanias observe, "That Zeus is king in heaven is a saying common to all men." Zeus's symbols include the thunderbolt, eagle, bull, and oak. In addition to his Indo-European heritage, Zeus inherits certain iconographic traits from ancient Near Eastern cultures, such as the scepter. Greek artists frequently depict Zeus in two poses: standing with a raised right hand holding a thunderbolt or seated in majestic splendor.