What is the difference between Zeus & Jupiter ?

[Al Kowsky]

This morning I spotted this article published by THE COLLECTOR, What Are the Differences Between Zeus and Jupiter?, & they do provide some interesting answers. 

https://www.thecollector.com/what-are-the-differences-between-zeus-and-jupiter/

Pictured below are two coins from my collection that picture Zeus & Jupiter. NVMIS FORVMS members are welcome to post their favorite coins of Zeus & Jupiter 😊.

Ptolemaic drachm depicting Zeus, 246-222 BC            Roman denarius depicting Jupiter, 83-82 BC

Edited July 16, 2023 by Al Kowsky

[Deinomenid]

I've never properly understood why,  but Zeus was rarely shown on Sicilian Greek coins  until after the end of the tyrants when he became associated with freedom. (Hoover says his coins are common, but to me only so only after say 440) and even then some of the descriptions are a little strange. Here's a "common"  Syracuse  one, where he looks  nothing  like the standard form.

"A peculiar young and beardless Zeus Hellanios (“Greek Zeus”) also occurs on coins of Syracuse and Akragas in the early third century BC. While the epithet is known from Greece proper, the associated depiction of Zeus Hellanios seems to be a local Sicilian phenomenon." HGC

Sicily, Syracuse, Hiketas II 287-278 BC.  Obv: Laureate head of Zeus Hellanios right. Rx: Eagle standing left on thunderbolt..  Bronze : 9.47 g

 

 

 

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

It seems like the Roman provincial coinage bridges the gap between Zeus, who appeared on the provincial, mostly Greek speaking cities' coins and the Imperial issues depicting Jupiter/Jove.

[ominus1]

...well,in my opinion, lQQks like Jupiter took after his Mother a bit...^^ 😛

[Qcumbor]

Here's Jupiter showing off his sixpack !

Severus Alexander, Denarius - Rome mint, 225 CE 
IMP C M AVR SEV ALEXAND AVG, Laureate head of Severus Alexander right
IOVI VLTORI, Jupiter seated left holding victory and spear
3.26 gr
Ref : RCV #7873 (75), Cohen #97

Q

[DonnaML]

Good idea for a thread, @Al Kowsky, but the article's author doesn't sound like someone who knows very much, in asserting that Zeus is 1,000 years older than Jupiter, supposedly because "Zeus was described in detail by the ancient Greek writer Homer, while Jupiter was recorded by the Roman writer Virgil, more than 1,000 years later." Leaving aside the fact that if Homer existed he almost certainly lived considerably less than 1,000 years before Virgil, this makes it sound as if Jupiter didn't exist in Roman mythology until Virgil wrote about him. Obviously that isn't so! Ivppiter/Iovis (same etymological root) first appeared on Roman Republican coins more than 200 years before Virgil, and, after all, the original Capitoline Temple to Jupiter (and the other members of the Capitoline Triad) was dedicated several hundred years before that.

Besides, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica & Wikipedia, Jupiter/Jove actually comes from the same root as Zeus: "Like Zeus, the Greek god with whom he is etymologically identical (root diu, 'bright'), Jupiter was a sky god." See https://www.britannica.com/topic/Jupiter-Roman-god ; see also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_(mythology) ("Jupiter (Latin: Iūpiter or Iuppiter,[13] from Proto-Italic *djous 'day, sky' + *patēr 'father', thus 'sky father' Greek: Δίας or Ζεύς").

Edited July 16, 2023 by DonnaML

[DonnaML]

52 minutes ago, DonnaML said:

Good idea for a thread, @Al Kowsky, but the article's author doesn't sound like someone who knows very much, in asserting that Zeus is 1,000 years older than Jupiter, supposedly because "Zeus was described in detail by the ancient Greek writer Homer, while Jupiter was recorded by the Roman writer Virgil, more than 1,000 years later." Leaving aside the fact that if Homer existed he almost certainly lived considerably less than 1,000 years before Virgil, this makes it sound as if Jupiter didn't exist in Roman mythology until Virgil wrote about him. Obviously that isn't so! Iuppiter/Iovis (same etymological root) first appeared on Roman Republican coins more than 200 years before Virgil, and, after all, the original Capitoline Temple to Jupiter (and the other members of the Capitoline Triad) was dedicated several hundred years before that.

Besides, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica & Wikipedia, Jupiter/Jove actually comes from the same root as Zeus: "Like Zeus, the Greek god with whom he is etymologically identical (root diu, 'bright'), Jupiter was a sky god." See https://www.britannica.com/topic/Jupiter-Roman-god ; see also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_(mythology) ("Jupiter (Latin: Iūpiter or Iuppiter,[13] from Proto-Italic *djous 'day, sky' + *patēr 'father', thus 'sky father' Greek: Δίας or Ζεύς").

The Germanic/Norse god Tiw/Tyr, after whom Tuesday is named, comes from the same proto-Indo-European root. As does the word deity.

[Dafydd]

I don't have any Greek coins. Here is a coin that I was pleased with as it was my first serrated denarius.

Laur. head of Jupiter right , SC behind.

Appears to be the principal coinage of the faction opposed to the return of Sulla to Rome. Balbus strikes as praetor by special decree of the Senate.

Victory in quadriga right holding wreath and palm. Control letter M below.  Ex-Navilles 2014.

[Prieure de Sion]

greece_meets_rome_reading.pdf

 

[Al Kowsky]

2 hours ago, Qcumbor said:

Here's Jupiter showing off his sixpack !

Severus Alexander, Denarius - Rome mint, 225 CE 
IMP C M AVR SEV ALEXAND AVG, Laureate head of Severus Alexander right
IOVI VLTORI, Jupiter seated left holding victory and spear
3.26 gr
Ref : RCV #7873 (75), Cohen #97

Q

Q, That's a stunning coin, both sides finely engraved & struck from fresh dies 🤩.

[Al Kowsky]

5 hours ago, Deinomenid said:

I've never properly understood why,  but Zeus was rarely shown on Sicilian Greek coins  until after the end of the tyrants when he became associated with freedom. (Hoover says his coins are common, but to me only so only after say 440) and even then some of the descriptions are a little strange. Here's a "common"  Syracuse  one, where he looks  nothing  like the standard form.

"A peculiar young and beardless Zeus Hellanios (“Greek Zeus”) also occurs on coins of Syracuse and Akragas in the early third century BC. While the epithet is known from Greece proper, the associated depiction of Zeus Hellanios seems to be a local Sicilian phenomenon." HGC

Sicily, Syracuse, Hiketas II 287-278 BC.  Obv: Laureate head of Zeus Hellanios right. Rx: Eagle standing left on thunderbolt..  Bronze : 9.47 g

 

 

 

Deinomenid, That's a lovely coin & interesting observation on your part 😉. Maybe because Sicily was an island the engravers favored sea gods & goddesses like Aretheusa 🤔?

[Al Kowsky]

2 hours ago, DonnaML said:

Good idea for a thread, @Al Kowsky, but the article's author doesn't sound like someone who knows very much, in asserting that Zeus is 1,000 years older than Jupiter, supposedly because "Zeus was described in detail by the ancient Greek writer Homer, while Jupiter was recorded by the Roman writer Virgil, more than 1,000 years later." Leaving aside the fact that if Homer existed he almost certainly lived considerably less than 1,000 years before Virgil, this makes it sound as if Jupiter didn't exist in Roman mythology until Virgil wrote about him. Obviously that isn't so! Ivppiter/Iovis (same etymological root) first appeared on Roman Republican coins more than 200 years before Virgil, and, after all, the original Capitoline Temple to Jupiter (and the other members of the Capitoline Triad) was dedicated several hundred years before that.

Besides, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica & Wikipedia, Jupiter/Jove actually comes from the same root as Zeus: "Like Zeus, the Greek god with whom he is etymologically identical (root diu, 'bright'), Jupiter was a sky god." See https://www.britannica.com/topic/Jupiter-Roman-god ; see also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_(mythology) ("Jupiter (Latin: Iūpiter or Iuppiter,[13] from Proto-Italic *djous 'day, sky' + *patēr 'father', thus 'sky father' Greek: Δίας or Ζεύς").

Donna, I agree, the article wasn't a scholarly endeavor & was probably written by someone who just got their associates degree 😏. I found the article on my Google front page, the last place you'd look to find a scholarly essay.