The Rest Is History – Episode 602: Greek Myths: Zeus, King of the Gods (Part 1)

Date: September 21, 2025
Hosts: Tom Holland & Dominic Sandbrook

Overview

This episode marks the beginning of a four-part series on Greek mythology, focusing on Zeus – king of the gods – his origins, his character, and his enduring presence in the world of myth. The hosts skillfully blend literary storytelling with historical context, exploring not just the stories themselves, but also what they reveal about ancient Greek civilization, religious practice, and identity. The discussion moves from the violent birth of Zeus to his role as the central figure in both myth and the cultural consciousness of the Greeks, drawing on the foundational epics of Hesiod and Homer.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Foundational Story of Zeus (02:28 – 05:44)

• Dominic introduces the story of Rhea, Kronos, and Zeus’ miraculous survival. Rhea tricks Kronos (who seeks to prevent being overthrown by his offspring) by wrapping a stone in swaddling clothes, which Kronos swallows instead of baby Zeus.
• Tom frames this as the prototypical example of Greek myth’s violent family dramas and undercurrent of darkness:
  “It's a massive family feud, horrendously violent, a lot of deception and tricks.” (03:28)

2. Greek Myths as History and Literature (05:01 – 07:06)

• The podcast is not just recounting myths, but exploring their sources, evolution, and what they reveal about Greek culture.
• Introduction to Hesiod and the Theogony:
  • The Theogony is described as foundational, even older than Homer, tracing back to the 8th century BCE.
  • Hesiod’s use of the written alphabet (recently adopted from the Phoenicians) parallels a major cultural shift.
  • Oral tradition becomes literary, allowing preservation and study across generations.

3. Hesiod vs. Homer: Their Roles and Differences (07:06 – 12:41)

• Dominic and Tom discuss the personal voice of Hesiod, who gives biographical details, contrasting with Homer’s more mythical persona.
• They highlight the setting (Boeotia and Mt. Helicon), Hesiod’s conflicts, and his divine inspiration by the Muses (daughters of Zeus).
• Quote:
  “It's a miserable place. Bad in winter, foul in summer, good at no time.” – Hesiod, on Askra (09:47)
• Homer is associated with heroes and war (Iliad, Odyssey), Hesiod with cosmology and the origins of gods.

4. Greek Myth as Unifying Narrative (12:41 – 14:22)

• Tom argues that Greekness is, to a large extent, an invention of shared literary tradition, with Homer and Hesiod providing a framework of spiritual unity.
• Quote (Walter Burkert, via Tom):
  “Only an authority could create order amidst... confusion of traditions. The poetry of Hesiod and of Homer... was the authority to whom Greeks appealed.” (13:20)

5. Myth, Religion, and Belief (14:22 – 18:22)

• Dominic inquires whether Greek religion is more literary than ritualistic.
• Ritual matters, but the narrative dimension is primary.
• Modern analogy:
  “Do we believe in the market? ...We don't stop to think about it. We just take for granted their existence... that is the closest modern parallel to how the Greeks viewed the gods.” – Tom (17:34)
• The Greeks didn’t frame belief as a matter of doctrinal faith, unlike Christianity.

6. Do Greeks ‘Really Believe’ Their Myths? (18:22 – 20:13)

• Variation in stories is accepted; the core existence of Zeus is not doubted.
• Tom: “Most of them do think that... the stories told by the poets reveal the truth about the god who is father of gods and men.” (19:17)
• The Greek world expects a more or less coherent biography for Zeus, much of it provided by Hesiod.

7. The Biography of Zeus: From Creation to Sovereignty (20:13 – 32:05)

• The narrative runs from Gaia and Uranus (Earth and Sky) through Kronos and the Titans, the castration of Uranus, the birth of Aphrodite, the devouring of the Olympians, and Zeus' ultimate triumph.
• Memorable retelling of mythic violence:
  “Kronos takes the sickle and—slick!—he slices off Ouranos’ testicles.” – Tom, (22:35)
• Zeus, aided by cyclopes and monsters, wields the thunderbolt, vanquishing Titans and establishing his rule.
• After victory, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades divide the cosmos by lot:
  • Zeus: Sky and sovereignty
  • Poseidon: Seas
  • Hades: Underworld

8. The Cycle of Overthrow and Zeus’ Checkmate (28:22 – 30:43)

• Recurring theme: each generation of gods overthrows the last.
• Zeus anticipates prophecy—swallowing Metis to prevent being overthrown by her offspring, only to have Athena burst fully armed from his head.
• Quote:
  “Metis, as we said, is the goddess of wisdom. And so her wisdom is now Zeus’s.” (29:30)

9. Zeus as Just Father—But Also Philanderer (31:04 – 35:11)

• With Metis’ wisdom, Zeus is portrayed as less tyrannical, more benevolent, and just—unlike his forebears.
• Quote from Hesiod (echoing psalms):
  “Easily he makes the crooked straight and withers the proud, Zeus who thunders on high...” (32:05)
• Tension: Zeus is extolled as just, yet his affairs and violence (especially towards women) challenge the ideal image.
• Dominic:
  “By today’s standards, he's positively Weinsteinian... he’s a massive predator.” (33:43)
• Tom:
  “Yes... So there's a huge list... his own sister Demeter, he sleeps with... his aunt... his cousin Leto... his second cousin Maia... lots of me-tooing with other gods and with his own family. But that's not even to mention all the many mortal women he gets pregnant.” (33:49)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the viscerality of myth:
  “Not pleasant... Imagine having the baby shoved back inside you... Then Gaia... gives Kronos a sickle... he slices off Ouranos’s testicles.” – Tom (22:35)
• On the structure of Greek mythology:
  “The Iliad is like The Lord of the Rings, and Hesiod’s Theogony is like the Silmarillion.” – Tom (14:40)
• On the ‘truth’ of myth:
  “The question of whether you believe in the gods, I think for most Greeks never arises.” – Tom (18:22)
• Comparing Greek and other pantheons:
  “The strangeness of the Greek gods is precisely that they are so human, or perhaps hyperhuman... That’s one of the reasons children find their stories so appealing.” – Tom (41:02)
• On the proliferation of heroes:
  “The point of heroes is, they’re reflecting the fragmentation of the Greek political landscape... so they basically invent a tier down that gives them legitimacy.” – Dominic (51:39)

Important Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:28: Opening myth – Rhea, Kronos, and the stone
• 05:01: The plan for four-episode arc: myth, history, evolution, cultural meaning
• 07:06: Homer and Hesiod: comparison and the literary shift in Greek civilization
• 12:41: Myth as a unifying Greek identity
• 14:22: Greek myth: literary versus ritual role
• 16:08: Belief and myth: Do Greeks “believe” their own stories?
• 20:13: Full genealogy and succession drama: Earth, Sky, Titans, Kronos, Zeus
• 28:22: Fate, prophecy, and Zeus’s avoidance of the cycle
• 31:04: Zeus as “wise and just father”—and the biblical overtones
• 33:43: Zeus’s many affairs — the “problem” of divinity and morality
• 41:02: The Greek gods and their ‘human’, relatable qualities
• 43:07: The Indo-European roots of Zeus (“Zeus Pater = Jupiter = Dyaus Pita”)
• 45:26: Near-Eastern influences: Babylonia and mythic motifs
• 49:56: The rise of heroes as Zeus’s children and the Greek city landscape
• 53:27: Hero stories: Perseus and Heracles, their monster-slaying deeds
• 57:25: Zeus’s relationship with mortal women and purpose for fathering heroes
• 59:17: Fifth-century drama as critique and reinterpretation of myth

Episode Flow and Structure

1. Introduction & Announcement: Skip (ads, tour dates)

2. Opening storytelling and scene-setting:
   Rhea, Kronos, and the baby Zeus

3. Literary & historical context:
   Why focus on myths, what makes them foundational

4. Deep dive into major sources:
   Hesiod’s Theogony, Homer’s epics, their difference & impact

5. Analysis of religious and cultural meaning:
   Religious practice vs. poetry, what “belief” means in the Greek context

6. Narrative biography of Zeus:
   From the primeval creation to sovereign of Olympus

7. Political meaning of myth:
   Heroes as legitimators for Greek cities’ prestige and identity

8. Enduring contradictions:
   Zeus as king and father figure, but also deeply ambivalent—a protector and a predator

9. Setup for next episode:
   Deeper dive on Zeus’s character, legitimacy, and the evolving Greek critique of their gods

Tone & Style Notes

• The hosts combine scholarly depth with wit and irreverence.
• Literary references and modern analogies (the “market” for Greek gods, Tolkien for epic structure) keep the discussion accessible.
• The episode seamlessly intersperses mythic retellings with critical commentary and humor (comparing Askra to “West Bromwich” or likening Zeus to Harvey Weinstein).
• Quotes are often direct, both from ancient texts (Hesiod, Homer) and modern scholarship.

For Listeners Who Haven’t Heard the Episode

This episode is a lively, thorough primer on how Greek mythology—through its stories, poems, and contradictions—both shaped and reflected ancient Greek society. It offers:

• The gripping story of Zeus’s rise to power
• Insights into how myths unified the Greeks and structured their worldview
• Examination of belief, morality, and the adaptability of myth
• Contextual links to Indo-European roots and Near Eastern influences
• Memorable (sometimes graphic!) retellings of classic moments and monsters
• A candid, questioning approach to the gods’ human failings and the Greeks’ own evolving interpretations

Next Episode Teaser

Episode 603 will focus on the city of Thebes, Oedipus, and the ongoing issues of divine justice and human suffering within Greek myth, exploring how later poets grappled with reconciling Zeus’s justice and cruelty.