Epithets of Zeus

Local variation

List

A

• Abrettenus or Abretanus: surname of Zeus in Mysia
• Achad: one of his names in Syria.
• Acraeus : his name at Smyrna. Acraea and Acraeus are also attributes given to various goddesses and gods whose temples were situated upon hills, such as Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite, Pallas, Artemis, and others
• Acrettenus: his name in Mysia.
• Adad: one of his names in Syria.
• Adados: A Hellenization of the Canaanite Hadad and Assyrian Adad, particularly his solar cult at Heliopolis
• Adultus: from his being invoked by adults, on their marriage.
• Aegiduchos or Aegiochos : Usually taken as Zeus as the bearer of the Aegis, the divine shield with the head of Medusa across it, although others derive it from "goat" and okhē in reference to Zeus's nurse, the divine goat Amalthea.
• Aeneius or Aenesios, was worshipped in Cephalonia, where he had a temple on Mount Ainos.
• Aethiops, meaning the glowing or the black. He was worshipped in Chios.
• Aetnaeus, due to the Mount Etna. There was a statue of Zeus and a festival was celebrated there.
• Agamemnon, was worshipped at Sparta. Eustathius believes that the epithet is because of the resemblance between Zeus and Agamemnon, while others believe that it signifying the Eternal, from ἀγὰν and μένων.
• Agetor, leader and ruler of men.
• Agonius, helper in struggles and contests.
• Agoreus, of the market/agora
• Aleios, from "Helios" and perhaps connected to water as well.
• Alexicacus, the averter of evil.
• Amboulios or Latinized Ambulius
• Apemius : Zeus as the averter of ills
• Apesantius : of mount Apesas.
• Apomyius : Zeus as one who dispels flies
• Aphesios
• Areius : either "warlike" or "the atoning one".
• Argikeravnos.
• Asbamaeus : Zeus as a god of oaths
• Astrapios : Zeus as a weather god
• Atabyrius : he was worshipped in Rhodes and took his name from the Mount Atabyrus on the island
• Athous, derived from Mount Athos, on which the god had a temple.
• Aithrios.
• Aitherios.

  B

• Basileus
• Belos : Syncretization of Zeus with the Babylonian god Marduk mentioned in Herodotus’s Histories. "Belos" comes from Marduk’s title of Bel meaning "lord" or "master" in Akkadian.
• Bottiaeus/ Bottaios : Worshipped at Antioch Libanius wrote that Alexander the Great founded the temple of Zeus Bottiaios, in the place where later the city of Antioch was built.
• Zeus Bouleus/ Boulaios : Worshipped at Dodona, the earliest oracle, along with Zeus Naos
• Brontios and Brontaios : Zeus as a weather god

  C

• Cenaean : a surname of Zeus, derived from cape Cenaeum
• Chrysaoreus
• Chthonios
• '''Cronides'''

  D

• Diktaios : Zeus as lord of the Dikte mountain range, worshipped from Mycenaean times on Crete
• Dodonian/ Dodonaios : meaning of Dodona
• '''Dylsios'''

  E

• Eilapinastes. He was worshipped in Cyprus.
• Ephestios.
• Epikarpios.
• Eleutherios. At Athens after the Battle of Plataea, Athenians built the Stoa of Zeus Eleutherios. Some writers said that was called "of freedom" because free men built the portico near his shrine, while others because Athenians escaped subjection to the power of Persia and they were free.
• Epidôtês/ Epidotes : an epithet of Zeus at Mantineia and Sparta
• Euênemos/ Euanemos or Latinized Evenemus/ Evanemus
• Euryopa.

  G

• Genetaeus, derived from Cape Genetus on the Euxine.
• Genethlios.
• Zeus Georgos : Zeus as god of crops and the harvest, worshipped in Athens

  H

• Hecalesius, a festival named Hecalesia was celebrated at Athens in honour of Zeus Hecalesius and Hecale.
• Zeus Helioupolites : A Hellenization of the Canaanite Baʿal worshipped as a sun god at Heliopolis in Lebanon
• Herkeios or Latinized Herceius
• Hetareios : According to the Suda, Zeus was called this among the Cretans.
• Hikesios or Latinized Hicesius
• Homagyrius, he had a sanctuary at Aegium. According to tradition, he was given this surname because Agamemnon assembled the most eminent men of Greece there to consult on how to wage the Trojan War.
• Horios.
• Horkios : Zeus as keeper of oaths. Pausanias writes that at Olympia, in the Council Chamber, there was a statue of Zeus Horkios which was the most fearsome to wrongdoers, holding thunderbolts in both hands. Athletes, along with their families and trainers, swore oaths on slices of boar’s flesh to compete fairly and adhere to training rules. Officials who judged the races also swore to be honest and keep all information confidential. A bronze plate inscribed with warning verses stood before the statue, intended to intimidate anyone who might break their oath.
• Homognios
• Hyetios
• Hypatos, was an epithet and surname of Zeus. There was an altar dedicated to him in Athens, in front of the Erechtheium, where it was forbidden to sacrifice anything alive or pour libations, offerings were limited to cakes. He was also worshipped in Sparta and near Glisas in Boeotia.
• Hyperdexios, from the village Hyperdexion.
• Hypsibremetes.
• '''Hypsistos'''

  I

• Idaeus or Idaios, of mount Ida. Either Mount Ida in Crete or Mount Ida in the ancient Troad
• Ikmaios or Latinized Icmaeus
• Ithomatas, an annual festival celebrated at Ithome for Zeus Ithomatas.

  K

• Zeus Kasios or Latinized Casius: a surname of Zeus, the name may have derived from either sources, one derived from Casion, near Pelusium in Egypt. Another derived from Mount Kasios, which is the modern Jebel Aqra, is worshipped at a site on the Syrian–Turkish border, a Hellenization of the Canaanite mountain and weather god Baal Zephon
• Kataibates or Latinized Cataebates, because he was sending-down thunderbolts or because he was descending to earth due to his love of women.
• Katharsios.
• Keraunios or Latinized Ceraunius
• Klarios or Latinized Clarius
• Konios or Latinized Conius
• Koryphaios or Latinized Coryphaeus
• Kosmêtês or Latinized Cosmetes
• Kronios
• Ktesios or Latinized Ctesius
• '''Ktistes'''

  L

• Zeus Labrandos : Worshiped at Caria, depicted with a double-edged axe, a Hellenization of the Hurrian weather god Teshub
• Laphystius, Laphystium was a mountain in Boeotia on which there was a temple to Zeus.
• Laoetas or Laoitas.
• Limenoskopos or Latinized Limenoscopus occurs as a surname of several deities, Zeus, Artemis, Aphrodite, Priapus and Pan
• Lepsinos, there is a temple of Zeus Lepsinos at Euromus.
• Leukaios
• Lykaios or Lycean, there was a temple of Zeus Lykaios on Mount Lykaion in Arcadia, where according to sources a lycanthropic cult was performed, sometimes including human sacrifices.

  M

• Maimaktês or Latinized Maemactes, a surname of Zeus, from which the name of the Attic calendar month 'Maimakterion' was derived and which that month the Maimakteria was celebrated at Athens.
• Zeus Meilichios/ Meilikhios There was a sanctuary south of the Ilissos river at Athens.
• Mêkhaneus or Latinized Mechaneus
• Metieta.
• Moiragetes : Pausanias wrote that this was a surname of Zeus and Apollo at Delphi because Zeus knew the affairs of men, all that the Fates give them, and all that is not destined for them.

  N

• Zeus Naos: Worshipped at Dodona, the earliest oracle, along with Zeus Bouleus
• Nemeian or Nemean or Nemeus: There was a sanctuary of Nemean Zeus at Argos, and an upright bronze statue of the god made by Lysippus.
• Nephelegereta.
• Nikephoros.

  O

• Olympios : Zeus as king of the gods and patron of the Panhellenic Games at Olympia
• Ombrios
• Ouranios.
• Ourios. Ancient writers wrote about a sanctuary at the opening of the Black Sea dedicated to the Zeus Ourios. In addition, on the island of Delos a dedication to Zeus Ourios was found. The dedication was made by a citizen of Ascalon, named Damon son of Demetrius, who escaped from pirates.
• Osogoa, the Carian name of Zeus at Mylasa. There was a sanctuary of him in the city.