Zeus ZOOS is a name that many people today recognize. When someone asks, Who was Zeus? the answer is often something like, Um, wasnt he the leader of the Greek gods? Another common response is, Hes the dude who threw thunderbolts at people! It is not surprising that at least this much about him is fairly well known. After all, images from Greek mythology are widespread in modern books, graphic novels, TV shows, and movies. Beyond that, however, most people today know very little about Zeus. This is also not surprising. More than sixteen centuries have passed since the Greeks and Romans actually worshiped him. The Romans called him Jupiter, pronounced JU-puh-ter. In those days, almost everyone was very familiar with the many stories about his deeds and adventures.