Zeus, the Greek god of the sky and thunder, was known as Jupiter to the Romans. The son of Cronus and Rhea, and the husband of Hera, Zeus was a father figure to the Greek gods of Mt. Olympus. His symbols are the thunderbolt, the eagle, the bull and the oak. Zeus is frequently depicted in one of two poses: standing, striding forward with a thunderbolt leveled in his raised right hand, or seated in majesty. His sacred bird was the golden eagle, a symbol of strength, courage, and justice. His favorite tree was the oak, also a symbol of strength. Zeus was infamous for his erotic escapades. These resulted in many godly and heroic offspring, including Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Hermes, Persephone, Dionysus, Perseus, Heracles, Helen of Troy, Minos and the Muses. Though Zeus, the Homeric “cloud collector,” was the god of sky and thunder he also was the supreme Greek cultural artifact; the embodiment of their religious beliefs and the archetypal Greek deity.