Zeus (ZOOS) is a name that many people today recognize. When someone asks, "Who was Zeus?" the answer is often something like, "Um, wasn't he the leader of the Greek gods?" Another common response is, "He's the dude who threw thunderbolts at people!" It is not surprising that at least this much about him is fairly well known. After all, images from Greek mythology are widespread in modern books, graphic novels, TV shows, and movies. Beyond that, however, most people today know very little about Zeus. This is also not surprising. More than sixteen centuries have passed since the Greeks and Romans actually worshiped him. (The Romans called him Jupiter, pronounced JU-puh-ter.) In those days, almost everyone was very familiar with the many stories about his deeds and adventures. Today, those tales are called myths. And their details are known to only to a small minority of the population. Those who do take the time to learn about Zeus and his exploits, however, are never disappointed. They find that he was not only one of the most important gods in human history. He was also an extremely colorful and entertaining character.