KARA (HEAD) MULTIPLE ZEUSES

Mountains were the focus of Zeus cult elsewhere too. This explains for instance a Zeus Aenesios of Mt ainos on Kephallenia, the Zeuses who we see dominating mountains at the heart of states (pp.68-71), and a number of Zeuses, particularly in Boeotia, who are called Keraios, Karaios, Karios. This has led to an ancient Greek mythology of Karians (a nation of Asia Minor) living in Boeotia, but the explanations looks simpler - this is a god of the kara (head), i.e. the mountain peak, who in other states might be called akraios. Athens had a particular love of mountain sactuaries, as Pausanias notes (1.32.2), though offerings are fewer and farther between after 300 BC: On Mt Hymettos there was a Zeus Hymettios, on Mt Parnes a Zeus in bronze, on the 'not very big mountain' Anchesimos there was a Zeus too. Elsewhere there were altars of Zeus Ombrios, 'of rain showers', and Zeus Semaleos, 'who gives signs' - evidently weather signs, perhaps cloud formations or, more immediately, lightning and thunder (Parker 1996: 30-32). These shrines are not centres of habitation and we must therefore envisage processions of people and sacrificial animals to them. So in the case of Mt Olympus, it may well be that the procession would start at Dion. In another case, on Cos, there is an association of those who make a monthly, voluntary journey together to Zeus Hyetios ('of rain').43 One might also envisage special journeys in time of need, as happened at Mt Lykaion.