Jupiter and Zeus are mythological characters in Roman and Greek mythology and are believed to be the same Gods in two different cultures. In fact, most people treat Jupiter as a Roman equivalent of Greek god Zeus. Is Jupiter only the Roman name of the same god labeled Zeus by the Greeks or is there any difference between the two? Let us find out in this article.
Zeus
Zeus is believed in Greek mythology as the king of gods and the most powerful deity on Mount Olympus. His orders have to be followed by all mortals and even gods, and it is his job to see that the good are rewarded just as he has to ensure punishment is meted out to the evil. Zeus was born to Rhea and Cronus and was married to Hera. He is believed to have produced many offspring through his liaisons with goddesses and princesses. All gods refer to Zeus as father and show respect by rising and standing in his presence. As the chief of all gods, it is his duty to assign tasks to other gods and to oversee that heavens and the universe continue to function smoothly. Eagle is his sacred animal and thunderbolt his main weapon. He is often shown by the artists as a standing god with a thunderbolt in his raised right hand.
It is said that Zeus’s father swallowed all his previous siblings as he feared that he would be overcome by his own offspring. To save Zeus when he was born, his mother Rhea gave Cronus a rock wrapped in a cloth that he swallowed thinking that to be his own son. Cronus ruled the earth, the skies and the seas. To save Zeus, the nymph who raised her dangled him with a rope from a tree so that Cronus could not see him. Zeus made Cronus disgorge his siblings in reverse order of swallowing and then defeated him in a duel. He later became the king of the gods.
Jupiter
Jupiter is believed to be the king of gods in Roman mythology. He granted supremacy to the Romans over other human being in return for all the respect he got from them. In Roman Empire, the kings and other ministers swore in his name when they took the oath of office. Saturn is believed to be the father of Jupiter, and upon his death, Jupiter shared the world with his brothers Neptune and Pluto. While Jupiter took the heavens, Neptune got the seas and Pluto had to remain content with the underworld. Jupiter married Juno and fathered many children whom he loved very much. He gave magical powers to all his children.
The main weapon of Jupiter is thunderbolt, and he is associated with thunder and lightning. Eagle is his sacred animal and he is depicted holding a thunderbolt in his right hand along with an eagle and globe by the artists.
What is the difference between Jupiter and Zeus?
• Zeus and Jupiter are believed to be the same gods having different names in Greek and Roman mythology.
• Many historians believe Greeks and Romans to have Indo European ancestry, and the day-father identity of Zeus and Jupiter is believed to have originated from the Indo European god who was in charge of the weather.
• Zeus was the chief god, the king of gods of the Greeks, whereas Jupiter was the king of gods of the Romans.