Zeus, the supreme deity of the Classical pantheon, was believed to govern the affairs of both gods and humans. The most famous image of the god, made by the illustrious fifth-century-B.C. Athenian sculptor Phidias, was a colossal statue of ivory and gold that stood in his temple at Olympia. Acknowledged in antiquity as one of the seven wonders of the world, the statue does not survive, but its influence can be seen in other representations of Zeus in ancient art.

This over-life-size marble head, originally part of a seated or standing statue, probably represents a re-interpretation of the Olympian Zeus by a sculptor of a later generation. The symmetry of the hair, beard, and facial features imparts a sense of tranquil gravity suited to this all-powerful divinity. Cuttings on the crown of the head suggest that a headdress, or polos, once sat on top. The head is believed to have been found in western Asia Minor, where many itinerant Greek sculptors in the fourth century B.C. sought employment with the region's wealthy rulers, who spent lavishly to outfit their courts, temples, and tombs in a fusion of local and Greek styles.

Phidias's statue of Zeus also exerted a powerful hold on Classical antiquity's most famous king, Alexander the Great of Macedonia. The invincible chief of the gods was a fitting emblem for a young man who was himself aspiring to take over the world. An image of Zeus reminiscent of the Olympian model was chosen to adorn silver coins struck at various mints located throughout Alexander's dominion. The god's pose, enthroned and gripping a scepter with his left fist, corresponds to written descriptions of the renowned statue. The coins diverge from the monumental prototype, however, by showing an eagle, a bird closely associated with Zeus, perched on the god's outstretched right hand.

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