Myth of the Week · Greece
Zeus for kids: king of the Greek gods
· P.Sean Tales
Who is the boss of all the Greek gods? That would be Zeus — king of the Olympians, ruler of the sky and storms. When ancient Greeks heard thunder rumble, they said Zeus was at work up on Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece, where the gods lived above the clouds.
The thunderbolt
Zeus's famous weapon is the lightning bolt — and he didn't buy it at a store. Legends say the one-eyed giants called Cyclopes forged his thunderbolts as a thank-you gift after Zeus freed them. With a single throw he could light up the whole sky.
Three brothers, three kingdoms
Zeus didn't rule everything alone. He and his brothers drew lots to split the world: Zeus won the sky, Poseidon took the sea, and Hades got the underworld. That's why you'll meet all three brothers in different corners of Greek mythology — each one king of his own realm.
The eagle and the oak
Zeus's sacred animal is the eagle, who perches beside his cloud throne, and his sacred tree is the mighty oak. Ancient Greeks even held athletic games in his honor at a place called Olympia — the great-great-grandparent of today's Olympic Games!
Did you know?
The ancient Greeks built one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World for Zeus: a statue at Olympia over 40 feet tall, made of ivory and gold.
Color the legend yourself
Zeus stars in our Greek Gods & Goddesses read-along coloring book — big line art to color, the real legend retold for kids, and a say-it-out-loud pronunciation guide. Meet the whole family:
- Greek Gods & Goddesses — Zeus, Athena, Apollo and the Olympians
- Greek Monsters, Giants & Heroes
- Greek Titans, Sea & Underworld
Or start free: grab the free coloring pages.