Zeus

Zeus is one of the twelve Olympian gods in Greek mythology. His father is Kronos and his mother is Rhea.

Early Life
Kronos was afraid that his children would one day overpower him, so whenever Rhea gave birth, Kronos swallowed the newborn whole. When Rhea gave birth to the 6th child, she couldn't bear to lose him, so she asked Gaia for advice. The 6th child was Zeus.

Later...
There are many versions of Zeus growing up; according to them, Zeus:


 * was then raised by Gaia.


 * was raised by a goat named Amalthea, while a company of Kouretes— soldiers, or smaller gods— danced, shouted and clashed their spears against their shields so that Cronus would not hear the baby's cry. (See cornucopia.)


 * was raised by a nymph named Adamanthea. Since Cronus ruled over the Earth, the heavens and the sea, she hid him by dangling him on a rope from a tree so he was suspended between earth, sea and sky and thus, invisible to his father.


 * was raised by a nymph named Cynosura. In gratitude, Zeus placed her among the stars.


 * was raised by Melissa, who nursed him with goat's-milk and honey.

After becoming a full-size god, Cronos regurgitated (threw up) the other five gods he swallowed. There are multiple versions, which say: Zeus then released the monsters Cronos kept in Tartarus, which included Gigantes, the Hecatonchires (100-handed ones) and the Cyclopes (one-eyed ones).
 * was raised by a shepherd family under the promise that their sheep would be saved from wolves.
 * Zeus cut Cronos's stomach open.
 * Metis gave Cronos a herb that made him throw up.

The Cyclopes thanked Zeus by giving and forging the thunderbolt for him. Then the Titans and Zeus and his allies went to war. Zeus overthrew Cronos and sent the Titans to Tartarus for eternity. Atlas, the greatest Titan warrior, was sentenced to hold up the sky forever. After the Titans were overthrown, Zeus and his two eldest brothers, Poseidon and Hades, drew lots to divide the world. Zeus got the sky, Poseidon the seas, and Hades the Underworld. Gaia was left to all three (Poseidon is also known as the Earth-shaker).

Gaia was angry Zeus threw the Titans in Tartarus. She loved all her children and in her rage, sent Typhon and Echinda. The monsters were terrifying enough that some myths say the gods transformed into animals and fled. Zeus kept his ground in those myths, and that gave the other gods courage to defeat the monsters. Typhon was defeated and pinned down under Mount Etna; Echinda was allowed to be alive. She crept into a cave and bore terrible children. Zeus let them live as a challenge to future heros.

Other Appearances
Zeus is involved in myths, including the myth about the Golden Fleece and many others.

He also appears in Percy Jackson and the Olympian series in the 1st, 3rd, and 5th.