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Another awesome reason to visit Greece

by Brenda Yun (RSS feed) on Feb 10th 2009 at 2:00PM

The devastating Greek riots that took place two months ago could very well be history now that there is something worth going out in the streets and celebrating. The latest news from the birthplace of modern mythology is that Zeus's birthplace has been uncovered on the slopes of Mount Lykaion.

It has long been contested exactly where Zeus, the god of Greek gods, was born, as theorists have debated between the island of Crete and Mount Lykaion. The recent discovery was made at a site where ceremonial relics that are the earliest known to reflect that of Zeus have been found. Based on my reading of Homer's "The Odyssey," I imagine offering libations and drinking was involved even 4,000 years ago. The report claims that more than 50 drinking vessels were found at the site.

We all know his birth story, don't we? Zeus's mother Rhea gave birth to her son, but to keep her husband Cronus from eating him, Zeus was sent to a cave and raised by a shepherd. He was hidden from Cronus's knowledge until he was old enough to contest his godly right.

The coolest thing about this new finding is that the ritual worship of Zeus likely began in this same place where he was born.

While the only ancient wonder of the world is off the coast of Rhodes, where the Colossus once stood at nearly 110 feet high above the sea, this new discovery could be a great reason to add a new/ancient Greek site to the list.

[via LiveScience.com]

Filed under: History, Stories, Europe, Greece

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Steve Moorman Feb 10th 2009 4:01PM

Sorry, but I have to insist that Zeus was born in Crete. It has long been debated whether it was at the Dhiktean Cave on Lassithi or in the Idean Cave on the slopes of Mount Psiloritis but the Cretans will take a lot of convincing of another origin.

The only wonder remaining of the seven wonders of the ancient world, incidentally, is the Great Pyramid at Gizeh, Egypt.

The popular image of the colossus of Rhodes straddling the harbour was a 19th century interpretation by a British illustrator. The ancients did not have the technology to create a free standing statue of that size.

I wouldn't argue that a pre-Zeus figure was worshipped there, but Crete is keeping the real one!
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/science/05zeus.html