Collectionsky
Sky Fathers
Supreme rulers who command thunder, lightning, and cosmic order. These father figures often head their pantheons.
Across traditions
The figures
They share a theme; their roles, beliefs and histories differ from one tradition to the next.
Greek PantheonZeusIllustrationKing of the gods and ruler of Mount Olympus.
Roman PantheonJupiterIllustrationKing of the gods and god of sky, lightning, and thunder.
Norse PantheonOdinIllustrationKing of the Aesir and god of wisdom, war, and death.
Hindu PantheonIndraIllustrationKing of the gods (Devas) and lord of heaven (Svarga).
Norse PantheonThorIllustrationSon of Odin and the earth goddess Jord.
Japanese PantheonRaijinIllustrationGod of thunder, lightning, and storms.
Mesopotamian PantheonEnlilIllustrationLord of wind, storms, and the breath of life.
The stories
The TitanomachyGreek PantheonThe ten-year war between the Olympian gods led by Zeus and the Titans led by Cronus, resulting in the establishment of the Olympian order.
Thor's Journey to UtgardNorse PantheonThor, Loki, and their companions travel to the castle of the giant king Utgard-Loki, where they face a series of humiliating challenges that prove to be elaborate illusions concealing cosmic forces.
Amaterasu and the Heavenly CaveJapanese PantheonWhen Susanoo's violence drives Amaterasu into hiding in a cave, the world falls into darkness. The gods devise a plan to lure her out, restoring light to the world. Explains the importance of ritual.
Enuma Elish - The Babylonian Creation EpicMesopotamian PantheonThe Babylonian creation myth tells how the young god Marduk slew the primordial chaos dragon Tiamat and fashioned the universe from her body, becoming king of all the gods.
About this collection
By Elizabeth Stein for Mythos Atlas. About the author. Editorial notes are grounded in the site's cited sources and can be challenged through the contact page.
Collections group figures and myths by a shared theme. A shared theme is an editorial lens, not evidence that the traditions borrowed from one another.