Zeus, in Greek mythology is the king of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus, and the god of the sky and thunder. His symbols are the thunderbolt, eagle, bull and the oak. In addition to hisIndo-European inheritance, the classical "cloud-gatherer" Zeus also derives certain iconographic traits from the cultures of the ancient Near East, such as the scepter. Zeus is frequently depicted byGreek artists in one of two poses: standing, striding forward, a thunderbolt leveled in his raised right hand, or seated in majesty.Zeus played a dominant role, presiding over the Greek Olympian pantheon. He fathered many of the heroes and was featured in many of their local cults. Though the Homeric "cloud collector" was the godof the sky and thunder like his Near-Eastern counterparts, he was also the supreme cultural artifact; in some senses, he was the embodiment of Greek religious beliefs and the archetypal Greek deity.See also: Olympian gods