History Hit: The Ancients – Zeus: King of the Gods

Zeus, the chief deity in Greek mythology, is the Olympian god of sky and thunder and is king of all other gods and men.

His tale is one of overthrowing fathers, eating babies and seducing women, both mortal and divine, by changing his own form. He’s one of the most complex figures in history, and his story is one that’s been retold throughout millennia. To try and make sense of it all, we’re going back to the very beginning, to the origins of Zeus, starting with his grandfather and grandmother, Uranus and Gaia. We learn about the prophecy that ultimately overthrows Uranus, the same one that is also fated for Zeus’s father, Cronus, and start to understand the family tree that becomes the Olympians – from Athena to Dionysus.

For this episode of The Ancients, Michael joins Tristan Hughes. If you enjoyed this episode, you might also enjoy The Symposium: How To Party Like An Ancient Greek, also with Michael.