Statue of Zeus (Jupiter) 2nd century AD

This statue was found during excavation conducted at Perge in 1970 and was carved from a fine grained white marble. Zeus is depicted as a mature man with long wavy hair and long curly beard, wearing a "Himation" (thick and long cloak) and with sandals on his feet. The eagle which is his symbol stands on his right side. His staff was in his right hand, as can be understood from the broken parts. This statue is a Roman Period copy of a Classical Period original.

Zeus was the god of gods, the father and king of gods. God of events relating to the sky; he is the sovereign of the natural forces such as thunderbolts, thunder and lightning. Zeus was the last of the six children of Kronos and Rhea. Kronos had swallowed each of his babies as they were born since he was afraid of losing his position to his own children and so Rhea hid her last child named Zeus in an inn on the island of Crete. Zeus, after he grew up made Kronos vomit up his brothers and sisters that his father had swallowed. Zeus also defeated his father, just as Kronos had defeated his own father Uranos and so Zeus took sovereignity into his hands and founded the third generation of Gods, the sovereignity of the Gods of Olympos. The sovereignity of the gods of Olympos followed those of Kronos and Uranos, Zeus set up his throne at Olympos when he won the war he made on the Titans, who belonged to the former generation. He took into his hands the royal rod made by his son the blacksmith god Hephaistos. He distributed to the other gods their powers and ruled as the "father of both humans and gods". Zeus later brougth plenty of heavenly existences to earth by mating with goddesses from the race of Titans and with his own sisters.

Zeus married Hera. However he was not loyal to Hera and he deceived her all the time. The loves of Zeus are subjects that were often chosen by poets, painters and sculptors of the Antique Period. Zeus fornicated with countless mortal women as well with goddesses. In addition, Zeus fell in love with Ganymede, a beautiful young man and he took Ganymede, who was considered to be the most beautiful of mortals, up to Olympos where the young man served as Zeus's cup-bearer.

Among humans, the one to whom Zeus gave his rod, symbolizing his royal power, became the king. All the kings were born from Zeus, and were raised and trained by Zeus, Zeus played an important role in the Trojan war. He controlled the war from Mount Ida (Kazdagi). Carrying Zeus's orders to humans was the duty of Zeus's eagle. In the cult of Zeus, divination was carried out and according to the way an eagle flew, the proposed course of action was either good or bad. Zeus ordered that people who are in difficult situations or who are far away from their homes be helped, loved and respected. Zeus was the founder and protector of a human order based justice. Zeus is depicted with his symbols, the eagle, the rod and a bunch of lightning bolts.