In brief
Zeus is a Greek deity associated with the sky and with divine rule. A temple, an image and a poem answer different questions about him: where he was worshipped, how he was represented, and what a particular storyteller says.
In the Theogony’s birth narrative, Rhea conceals the infant Zeus from Cronus. Other works tell his family differently, so that passage is shown under the family tree with its own parents and its own citation.
Sources: The Met: Greek Gods and Religious Practices · Hesiod, Theogony 453–491
Overview
Greek god of the sky and king of the godsWikidata record description. Read Zeus in the Wikipedia reader.
Read the full article
In 15 other languages
Family tree
As the myths and records give it. Versions differ from source to source.
.jpg/250px-%CE%9F_%CE%86%CF%81%CE%B7%CF%82_(Borghese-%CE%9B%CE%BF%CF%8D%CE%B2%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%85).jpg)
The family as a list · 284
Kinship in an account 240
- child of (child) Cronus ruler of the Titans in Greek mythology
- child of (child) Rhea female Titan in Greek mythology, mother of Zeus and mother of Hera
- parent of (child) Achaeus Greek mythological figure, son of Xuthus
- parent of (child) Achilles son of Zeus in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Acme one of the Horae
- parent of (child) Acragas son of Zeus in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Adrasteia mountain goddess in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Aeacus son of Zeus in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Aegesthius mythological Greek character, son of Zeus and Ida
- parent of (child) Aegipan son of Apollo in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Aegle The most beautiful of the Naiads
- parent of (child) Aetae
- parent of (child) Aethlius son of Zeus in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Aglaea one of the Graces (Charites) in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Alagonia daughter of Zeus in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Aletheia personification of truth in ancient Greece
- parent of (child) Amphion mythical musician and ruler at Thebes
- parent of (father) Angelos deity in Greek mythology, daughter of Zeus and Hera
- parent of (father) Aoide one of the three original Boeotian muses in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Aphrodite Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation
- parent of (father) Apollo god in Greek and later Roman mythology
- parent of (child) Arcas son of Callisto in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Arcesilaus mythical son of Zeus
- parent of (child) Arcesius legendary king of Ithaca
Show all 240
- parent of (child) Arche ancient Greek muse
- parent of (child) Arctus
- parent of (father) Ares Greek god of war and combat
- parent of (father) Artemis goddess of the hunt and the wild in ancient Greek religion and mythology
- parent of (father) Asopus river god of Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Astraea ancient Greek religious figure
- parent of (father) Atë ancient Greek goddess of mischief
- parent of (father) Athena goddess of wisdom and war in ancient Greek religion and mythology
- parent of (father) Atropos one of the Fates of Greek Mythology
- parent of (child) Atymnius figure in Greek mythology, son of Zeus and Cassiopeia
- parent of (father) Auxo one of the Graces, worshipped in Athens; and/or one of the Horae
- parent of (child) Balius immortal horse in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Basileia Greek divinity, daughter of Zeus
- parent of (child) Bithynus
- parent of (father) Britomartis Minoan goddess of mountains and hunting
- parent of (child) Bura mythical daughter of Ion
- parent of (father) Caerus mythical son of Zeus, personification of Kairos, the opportune moment
- parent of (father) Calligeneia priestess, acolyte, or daughter of Demeter
- parent of (father) Calliope muse of epic poetry
- parent of (child) Car eponymous king of Caria, inventer of augury from birds
- parent of (child) Carius son of Zeus in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Carnus son of Zeus in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Carpo Greek deity
- parent of (child) Castor and Pollux Greek mythical siblings
- parent of (father) Ceroessa mythical daughter of Io and mother of Byzas
- parent of (child) Charites Greek goddesses of grace and beauty
- parent of (father) Chrysus character in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Clio Greek mythological person, muse of history or of lyre playing, daughter of Zeus and the Titaness Mnemosyne
- parent of (father) Clotho one of the Fates of Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Colaxes mythical King of Scythia
- parent of (child) Corinthos king of Corinth in Greek Mythology
- parent of (child) Corythus mythical king
- parent of (child) Cres eponymous king of Crete in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Crinacus mythical son of Zeus
- parent of (child) Cronius mythical child of Zeus and Himalia
- parent of (child) Cyrnus mythical son of Zeus
- parent of (child) Cytus mythical son of Zeus and Himalia
- parent of (child) Damocrateia daughter of Zeus in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Dardanus mythological Greek character, son of Zeus
- parent of (father) Dike greek goddess of law and justice, the spirit of moral order and fair judgment
- parent of (father) Dionysus ancient Greek god of winemaking and wine
- parent of (child) Dodon son of Zeus in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Dodone daughter of Zeus in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Dysis Hora in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Eetion son of Zeus and Electra in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Eileithyia Greek goddess of childbirth and midwifery
- parent of (father) Eirene ancient Greek goddess of peace
- parent of (child) Ellops son of Zeus or Tithon
- parent of (child) Emathion mythological character, son of Zeus
- parent of (child) Endymion son of Aethlius in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Enyo Greek goddess of war and destruction
- parent of (child) Epaphus mythical character, son of Zeus and Io
- parent of (father) Erato Greek muse of lyrical poetry
- parent of (father) Eris Greek goddess of discord
- parent of (father) Ersa Greek personification of dew
- parent of (child) Ethalion son of Zeus in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Eubuleus mythical son of Zeus and Persephone
- parent of (father) Eunomia Greek goddess of good order
- parent of (father) Euphrosyne deity, one of the Graces
- parent of (father) Euterpe muse of music in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Garamantis
- parent of (child) Gargarus son of Zeus in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Geraestus son of Zeus in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Graecus mythological Greek character; son of Pandora II and Zeus
- parent of (child) Harmonia ancient Greek goddess of harmony and concord, spouse of Cadmus; her opposite is Eris
- parent of (father) Hebe ancient Greek goddess of youth
- parent of (father) Hecate Greek goddess
- parent of (child) Helen of Troy daughter of Zeus in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Hellen mythological progenitor of the Hellenes
- parent of (father) Hephaestus Greek god of blacksmiths
- parent of (father) Heracles divine hero in Greek mythology, son of Zeus and Alcmene
- parent of (father) Hermes Olympian god in Greek religion and mythology; the emissary and messenger of the gods; the god of trade, heraldry, merchants, commerce, roads, thieves, trickery, sports, travelers, and athletes; the son of Zeus and the Pleiad Maia
- parent of (child) Hesperides nymphs in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Horae goddesses of the seasons and the natural portions of time in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Hydarnis mythological Greek character, daughter of Zeus and Europe
- parent of (child) Iardanus mythical Lydian king, father of Omphale
- parent of (child) Iasion mythical lover of Demeter
- parent of (child) Korybantes ancient Greek deities
- parent of (child) Lacedaemon mythical king of Sparta
- parent of (father) Lachesis one of the Fates of Greek Mythology
- parent of (child) Latinus son of Zeus and Pandora
- parent of (child) Libyan Sibyl prophetic priestess presiding over the Oracle of Zeus-Ammon
- parent of (child) Litae ancient Greek divinities with moral function, daughters of Zeus
- parent of (child) Locrus Greek mythological character, son of Zeus
- parent of (child) Magnes son of Aeolus mythical king of Magnesia
- parent of (child) Makedon mythical forefather of the Macedonians
- parent of (child) Manes king of Maeonia
- parent of (child) Megaros son of one of the Sithnide nymphs and Zeus
- parent of (father) Melete one of the three original Boeotian Muses in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Melinoe ancient Greek goddess of propitiation
- parent of (child) Meliteus son of Zeus and Othreis in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Melpomene Greek muse of tragedy
- parent of (child) Minos Greek mythology character, son of Zeus and Europa, king of Crete
- parent of (father) Mneme one of the three original Boeotian Muses in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Mnemosyne personification of memory in Greek mythology, mother of the nine muses
- parent of (child) Myrmidon Greek mythical character, eponymous ancestor of the Myrmidons
- parent of (child) Myrtilus son of Hermes in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Nemea naiad, mythical daughter of Asopus or Zeus
- parent of (child) Ogygias daughter of Zeus in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Olenus son of Zeus in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Opus mythical character of Locris, Greece
- parent of (father) Opus II Character of the Greek Mythology
- parent of (child) Orchomenus mythical son of Zeus
- parent of (child) Palici pair of indigenous Sicilian chthonic deities in Greek and Roman mythology
- parent of (father) Pan Greek god of the mountain wilds, shepherds, flocks, rustic music, fertility, spring, and theatrical criticism, with the hindquarters, legs, and horns of a goat
- parent of (father) Pandemos divine epithet of Aphrodite, earthly or public
- parent of (father) Pandia Greek goddess, daughter of Zeus and Selene
- parent of (father) Pasithea one of the Charities in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Pelasgus ancestor of the Arcadians in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Persephone Greek goddess of the seasons and the queen of the underworld; married with Hades
- parent of (father) Perseus legendary Greek hero and founder of Mycenae, demigod son of Zeus and Danae; famous for beheading the Gorgon Medusa
- parent of (child) Pirithous son of Ixion in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Pollux Greek mythical figure, brother of Castor
- parent of (father) Polyhymnia Muse of sacred-poetry, sacred hymn and eloquence as well as muse of agriculture, geometry rhetoric, and pantomime in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Rhadamanthus Greek mythology character, son of Zeus and Europa
- parent of (child) Sarpedon Greek mythology character, son of Zeus and Europa
- parent of (child) Sarpedon Greek mythology character, son of Laodamia
- parent of (father) Scamander water deity
- parent of (child) Solymus son of Zeus in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Spartaeus mythical son of Zeus
- parent of (child) Taenarus mythical Greek hero
- parent of (child) Tantalus son of Zeus in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Targitaus mythic founder-king and ancestor of the Scythians
- parent of (father) Terpsichore muse of dance in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Thalia Muse of comedy in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Thalia one of the 3 Graces
- parent of (father) Thallo mythical character, one of the Horae
- parent of (child) Thebe mythical daughter of Zeus and Iodame
- parent of (child) Thelxinoë daughter of Zeus and one of the original muses in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Themides daughters of Themis in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Tityos Greek mythological giant
- parent of (father) Tyche Greek goddess of fortune
- parent of (father) Urania Muse of astronomy and astrology in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Xanthus immortal horse in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Zagreus figure in Greek mythology
- parent of (child) Zethos king in Greek mythology
- partner of Aega Greek mythical character, daughter of Olenus, nurse of Zeus
- partner of Aegina nymph, eponym of the island Aegina
- partner of Aetna Sicilian nymph, connected to Mount Etna
- partner of Alkmene mother of Heracles
- partner of Anaxithea daughter of Danaus in Greek mythology
- partner of Antiope Greek mythological figure; daughter of Nycteus and mother of Amphion
- partner of Aphrodite Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation
- partner of Asterope
- partner of Cabye
- partner of Calliope muse of epic poetry
- partner of Callisto nymph in Greek mythology
- partner of Calyce daughter of Aiolos in Greek mythology
- partner of Carme nymph of the Greek mythology
- partner of Cassiopeia daughter of Arabos in Greek mythology
- partner of Chaldene person in Greek mythology, mother of Solymus
- partner of Chrysogeneia Daughter of Peneus
- partner of Clymene Nereid of Greek mythology
- partner of Contumelia
- partner of Coryphe Oceanid in Greek mythology
- partner of Crete mythological mother of Car
- partner of Cyrno mythical mother of Cyrnus by Zeus
- partner of Danaë daughter of Acrisius of Argos and Queen Eurydice, mother of Perseus, in Greek mythology
- partner of Demeter Greek goddess of the harvest, grains, and agriculture
- partner of Dia daughter of Deioneus in Greek mythology
- partner of Dione Greek goddess, mother of Aphrodite
- partner of Doris Oceanid of Greek mythology
- partner of Echidna ancient Greek mythological monster, the mother of monsters
- partner of Elara daughter of Orchomenos and lover of Zeus
- partner of Electra one of the Pleiades in Greek mythology
- partner of Eos Greek goddess of the dawn
- partner of Europa Phoenician character in Greek mythology, daughter of Agenor
- partner of Eurydome mother of the Graces in Greek mythology
- partner of Eurymedusa daughter of Clitor in Greek mythology
- partner of Eurynome Oceanid of Greek mythology
- partner of Eurynome mother of Ogygias in Greek mythology
- partner of Gaia Greek primordial deity, the personification of the Earth
- partner of Helice figure in Greek mythology, daughter of Selinous
- partner of (spouse) Hera Greek goddess, wife and sister of Zeus
- partner of Himalia Greek mythological character
- partner of Hora mythological Greek character, nymph, mother of Colaxes, first king of the Scythians
- partner of Io nymph seduced by Zeus in Greek mythology
- partner of Iodame daughter of Itonus in Greek mythology
- partner of Isonoe daughter of Danaus
- partner of Lamia daughter of Poseidon
- partner of Lamia a female daemon who devoured children, usually described as having the upper body of a woman and lower half of a serpent
- partner of Laodamia Greek mythology character, daughter of Bellerophon
- partner of Leda daughter of Thestius in Greek mythology
- partner of Leto Greek mythological figure and mother of Apollo and Artemis
- partner of Maera mythical daughter of Proetus
- partner of Maia Pleiad and mother of Hermes
- partner of (spouse) Metis Oceanid of Greek mythology, goddess of wisdom, daughter of Oceanid and Tethys
- partner of Mnemosyne personification of memory in Greek mythology, mother of the nine muses
- partner of Nemesis goddess of Greek mythology
- partner of Niobe mythical character, daughter of Phoroneus
- partner of Nysa mythical daughter of Aristaeus
- partner of Othreis nymph in Greek mythology
- partner of Pandora daughter of Deucalion and Pyrrha
- partner of Persephone Greek goddess of the seasons and the queen of the underworld; married with Hades
- partner of Phoenissa
- partner of Phthia daughter of the river god Phoroneus, mother of Achaeus for some authors
- partner of Plataea nymph, daughter of Asopos
- partner of Plouto Oceanid of Greek mythology
- partner of Pluto mythological Greek character, mother of Tantalus
- partner of Podarge one of the Harpies in Greek mythology
- partner of Protogeneia mythical daughter of Deucalion
- partner of Pyrrha daughter of Epimetheus and Pandora in Greek mythology
- partner of Selene ancient Greek goddess and personification of the Moon, daughter of Hyperion and Theia
- partner of Semele mother of Dionysus in Greek mythology
- partner of Taygete one of the Pleiades in Greek mythology
- partner of Thalia nymph, daughter of Hephaestus
- partner of (spouse) Themis in ancient Greek mythology, a titaness, the personification of divine order, fairness, law, natural law, and custom, whose symbols are the scales of justice
- partner of Thrace daughter of Oceanus in Greek mythology
- partner of Thyia mythical character, daughter of Deucalion
- partner of unnamed daughter of Borysthenes daughter of Borysthenes in Greek mythology
- sibling of Chiron centaur, figure from Greek mythology
- sibling of Demeter Greek goddess of the harvest, grains, and agriculture
- sibling of Hades god of the underworld in Greek mythology
- sibling of Hera Greek goddess, wife and sister of Zeus
- sibling of Hestia Greek goddess of the hearth and the home
- sibling of Poseidon one of the twelve Olympians presiding over the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses
Family 44
- parent of (father) Achaeus Greek mythological figure, son of Xuthus
- parent of (father) Aeacus son of Zeus in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Aegipan son of Apollo in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Aethlius son of Zeus in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Amphion mythical musician and ruler at Thebes
- parent of (father) Arcas son of Callisto in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Arcesius legendary king of Ithaca
- parent of (father) Argus mythological Greek character, king and eponym of Argos
- parent of (father) Charites Greek goddesses of grace and beauty
- parent of (father) Dardanus mythological Greek character, son of Zeus
- parent of (father) Endymion son of Aethlius in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Epaphus mythical character, son of Zeus and Io
- parent of (father) Helen of Troy daughter of Zeus in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Hellen mythological progenitor of the Hellenes
- parent of (father) Horae goddesses of the seasons and the natural portions of time in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Iasion mythical lover of Demeter
- parent of (father) Lacedaemon mythical king of Sparta
- parent of (father) Magnes son of Aeolus mythical king of Magnesia
- parent of (father) Makedon mythical forefather of the Macedonians
- parent of (father) Manes king of Maeonia
- parent of (father) Minos Greek mythology character, son of Zeus and Europa, king of Crete
- parent of (father) Muse goddess of the inspiration of literature, science and the arts
- parent of (father) Myrmidon Greek mythical character, eponymous ancestor of the Myrmidons
- parent of (father) Pelasgus ancestor of the Arcadians in Greek mythology
Show all 44
- parent of (father) Pirithous son of Ixion in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Rhadamanthus Greek mythology character, son of Zeus and Europa
- parent of (father) Sarpedon Greek mythology character, son of Zeus and Europa
- parent of (father) Sarpedon Greek mythology character, son of Laodamia
- parent of (father) Tantalus son of Zeus in Greek mythology
- parent of (father) Tityos Greek mythological giant
- parent of (father) Zethos king in Greek mythology
- partner of Alkmene mother of Heracles
- partner of Antiope Greek mythological figure; daughter of Nycteus and mother of Amphion
- partner of Danaë daughter of Acrisius of Argos and Queen Eurydice, mother of Perseus, in Greek mythology
- partner of Elara daughter of Orchomenos and lover of Zeus
- partner of Europa Phoenician character in Greek mythology, daughter of Agenor
- partner of Lamia a female daemon who devoured children, usually described as having the upper body of a woman and lower half of a serpent
- partner of Laodamia Greek mythology character, daughter of Bellerophon
- partner of Leda daughter of Thestius in Greek mythology
- partner of Niobe mythical character, daughter of Phoroneus
- partner of Protogeneia mythical daughter of Deucalion
- partner of Pyrrha daughter of Epimetheus and Pandora in Greek mythology
- partner of Semele mother of Dionysus in Greek mythology
- sibling of Chiron centaur, figure from Greek mythology
In the ancient sources
- Zeus’s birth in the Theogony
Rhea bears Zeus among her children by Cronus, then conceals him from Cronus.
Read the passage · 453–491
Where Zeus appears
- Written 8th century BCE
Iliad
epic poem attributed to Homer - No date recorded
Odyssey
epic poem attributed to Homer
Also in films, games and series: Hades
Connections
Affiliation 1
Succession in office 1
Identification 16
- Ahura Mazda highest deity and creator deity of Zoroastrianism
- Amun Egyptian and Berber deity
- Baal Canaanite storm deity
- Idaeus epithet of Zeus
- Indra Vedic god of rain, weather, storms, and thunder in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Eastern religions
- Jehovah Latinate transliteration of יהוה (YHWH) with the vowel points of Adonai
- Jupiter chief deity of Roman state religion
- Papaios Scythian deity
- Perun Slavic supreme god of the sky and war
Show all 16
- Shangdi The High God, the supreme or single God of ancient Shenism, some salvationist religions like Yiguandao, and Protestant Christianity in Chinese translation
- Tengri chief deity of Turko-Mongolic religion
- Thor hammer-wielding Norse god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oaks, strength, and fertility
- Tinia Etruscan god
- Ukko god of the sky, weather, harvest and thunder in Finnish mythology
- Vajrapani Mahayana bodhisattva
- Yahweh national god of ancient Israel and Judah kingdoms, god of monotheistic Judaism and Abrahamic religions
Attribute 2
More from Greek and Roman
The Olympians and their Roman equivalents, the mystery cults, and the poets whose accounts disagree.