Zeus

Gods and heroes of the ancient world

Ken Dowden

Sovereign ruler of the universe, controller of the weather, all-seeing father of gods and men: Zeus was the chief deity of the ancient Greek pantheon. His places of worship ranged from the household to Olympia, the greatest of all sanctuaries. His significance is reflected in the individual chapters dedicated to him in books on Greek religion and myth but this is the first attempt to capture him in the round, in a single volume, for many years.

In a study that is at once masterly and comprehensive, Ken Dowden presents a study of this fascinating god for the new millennium. Myth, cult and art are examined, as are philosophy, drama, theology, European painting and much more. Zeus is not just seen as a god of Greece itself, but also as a god of the developing Mediterranean world and of the Romans, when he became their 'Jupiter'. The importance of Zeus in the medieval period and modern times is discussed in a revealing section on reception.

The book contains many and varied illustrations, charts and maps and provides a thorough and accessible, as well as scholary, introduction to the chief god in the Greek pantheon.

Ken Dowden is Professor of Classics, and Director of the Institute of Archaeology and Antiquity, at the University of Birmingham.

This book can be purchased at www.Routledge.com.
If you buy multiple books at the same time, you can receive an interesting discount.