There are many versions of how this came to pass.  Some accounts say that Zeus was raised as a mortal on a farm.  Most accounts, however, credit his upbringing to the Cretan goat goddess, Amalthea who suckled and hid the infant from his child devouring father until he grew into a young god.  Other's claim he was suckled by wolves.  In either case eventually, Zeus grew to manhood and attacked Cronus as he was out hunting, kicking the unsuspecting Titan brutally in the stomach.  Zeus' assault was so fierce that Cronus immediately began to retch and vomit.  First came the stone followed by Zeus' siblings that Cronus had swallowed over the years.  Cronus fled Zeus' attack hiding from the young god.  An immortal war was waged and inevitably the young gods won.  Some myths say that Zeus castrated Cronos and cast his genitals into the ocean; from the blood and foam of which Aphrodite (Af-roh-die-tee) was conceived (some accounts claim it is the blood and foam of Ouranos' severed organs which she was conceived).  Other tales add that Cronos fled to Italy heralding in the Golden Era or hid elsewhere never challenging his potent son again. 

Having won the war Zeus named himself chief of the new gods, whom he called The Olympians (named after the mountain on which they resided, Olympus in Thessaly).  Rhea continued as an earth goddess, however,  most other Titans fled into the earth and seas to hide and are said to be responsible for earthquakes, volcanic activities and even for tidal waves as they are still crashing and thrashing about in frustration of their defeat.  There was some argument as to which sibling should preside over what area of nature.  To settle the dispute, lots (dice) were cast to decide the matter.  Poseidon (Poh-sigh-dahn) won the waters of the earth and all therein,  Hades (Hay-deez) become lord of the underworld and king of the dead, though not death himself.  Zeus, however, had won the sky and all therein.  Not entirely happy, the brothers excepted their respective realms. 

Zeus was the all-father; cloud-gatherer; supreme ruler; lord of the sky.  It was said that his power was greater than all the other gods and goddesses combined.  His breastplate was the Aegis (Ee-jihs; Ay-juhz), horrible to behold and his weapons was the mighty thunder-bolt.  The latter was eventually fashioned by his lame son Hephaestus (Hee-fee-stuhs) also known as Vulcan or Mulciber (vuhl-kanne or Muhl-sih-buhr).  While he was clearly an impressive figure, he was not as omniscient nor omnipotent as he may seem.  His power and rule was not as absolute as one might presume or imagine.  He could be deceived and opposed.  Hera and Poseidon both dupe him in the Iliad.  He was also, according to Homer, as much at the mercy of Fate as anyone.  Zeus is most notorious for his amorous excursions, which were abundant. 

Many of his lovers were mortal, nevertheless.  There was rumours of a homosexual relationship with the beautiful Trojan youth, Ganymede (Gan-ih-mee-dee) or Ganymedes (Gan-ih-mee-deez).  In some accounts Ganymede was made the king of the winds and was then known as Aeolus (Ee-oh-luhs) who mysteriously fathered the four winds [Eurus (Yoo-ruhs), prince of the East winds; Notus or Auster (Noh-tuhs/Oh-stihr), prince of the South winds; Zephyr/Zephyrus/Favonius (Zeh-fuhr/Zeh-fuhr-uhs/Fah-voh-nee-uhs), prince of the West winds; and last but not least Boreas/Aquilo/Aquilos (Boh-ree-uhs/Ah-kwee-loh/Ah-kwee-lohs), prince of the North winds and harshest of the quartet] from his cave where all winds are chained.  Either way, Ganymede was believed to be the most beautiful of mortal men and was carried to Mount Olympus by Zeus' eagle, his sacred bird, to be cup-bearer for the mighty king of the gods.  Oddly enough some myths suggest that he was to replace Zeus or Hera' s female cup-bearer curiously named Ganymeda (Gan-ih-mee-dah) or Hebe (Hee-bee).  Some believe that Ganymede was emasculated in myths to save the philosophical Hellenics of later years the embarrassment.  It may also seem that the two are separate entities as Ganymeda later marries Herakles, but, the similarities of the name is curious nevertheless.  In some accounts, Hera was so furious that Zeus would replace her cup-bearer the the boy had to be renamed Aeolus, deified and relocated to protect him from Hera's wrath, typical of her jealous episodes.

Zeus had many other names as well.  He was also known as Mechaneus (Mehk-ah-noos), manager and contriver; the name he shared with Apollo (Ap-ah-loh),  Moeragetes (Mee-rah-juh-teez) as the leader and guide of the Fates; in Epeiros (Ee-pih-rohs) he was called Molossus (Moh-lah-suhs) which is conspicuously similar to Apollo's Colossus (Coh-lah-suhs); as the rain god, he was called Pluvius (Ploo-vee-uhs); and as the god of boundaries, landmarks and limitations he was Terminalis (Tuhr-min-ah-lihs).  He was known to the Aegyptians and was honored as Zeus-Ammon or the ram-horned Zeus.  The Romans called him Jove (Johv) which became used as as an expression of astonishment or of personal oath,  Dispater (Dihs-pay-tuhr), Jupiter (Joo-piht-uhr) for whom the planet was named and Viktor (Vihk-tohr) which was also applied to Hercules (Her-kyoo-leez) and Mars (Mahrz) to name a few.  Dyaus, Indo-European; Dianus (Dih-ahn-uhs; Digh-an-us), Janicot (Jan-ih-koh) and Janus (Jan-uhs) may also be associated with him.  He also bore many titles including: Soter (Soh-tehr), meaning saviour; Kosmokrater or Kosmokrates (Kahz-moh-kray-tuhr or Kahz-moh-kray-teez), ruler of the cosmos and Olympian Zeus, as chief of the Olympians. 

He has been a notable figure in the arts, of course.  Popular amongst artists, poets, sculptors and the like.  Sculptures, reliefs and other carvings are likely the most abundant medium which has been applied to him.  He is featured in Homer's Iliad and Hesiod's Theogeny.  The following associations have been applied to him esotericly: