Zeus – deity of the heaven, lightning, thunder, law, order and justice. In ancient Greece he was known as the most mighty person in pantheon, who oversaw the creation. Ancient sculptores showed him mostly in standing pose with a lightning levelled in his raised right hand. The thunderbolt has been given him by Cyclops and from this point he had power over it. Zeus used it in many battles. According to Hesiod’s poem Zeus, in Greek believes, was a wise, just, careless, but also unpredictable god. He could get furious very quickly. In this moments he brought violent storms and cataclysm. The only one with who he wanted to shared his thunderbolt was his darling offspring Athena, the goddess of wisdom, skill and fight.
Perun – the highest god in Slavic hierarchy, the ruler of lightings and thunders. He was also a god of battle. Perun was showed as a rude person with a copper beard and an weapon (or hammer). In many tales he battle with dragon or a giant snake, which presents powers of evil. Prince Vladimir the Great in X century wanted to made Perun the only god in Kievan Rus’, but it turned out that Christianity is a better decision.
Thanks to Marvel Cinematic Universe (e.g. movies: Avengers, Capitan America: The Winter Soldier, Thor), today, the most famous ancient deity is Thor. In Norse myths he was a offspring of Odin and Jord, and one of the most powerful gods. He was showed as a large man with red hair and eyes of lighting. His most recognisable characteristic is a big weapon, which always returns to his lord. Thor was very well-known among his believers (usually depicted as a brave protector against bad). As well as Perun Thor fight with snake(dark powers). At the day of Ragnarok (twilight of the gods) Thor will kill the snake, but he will decease from his toxin. This god was very valid in peoples believes, as a matter of fact his name is referred to many locationes and even to the day of the week – Thursday means “Thor’s day”, the day of Thor.
In the past storm, thunderbolt, thunder were something extraordinary and terrible. In people’s minds these phenomena were always related with powerful person, who control the world and must be worshiped. That’s why Thunder deities were so high in the mythological hierarchy.
