Zeus is known as the chief deity of the pantheon in ancient Greek religion, a sky and weather god who was identical with the Roman god Jupiter. He was regarded as the sender of thunder and lightning, rain, and winds, and his traditional weapon was the thunderbolt. Zeus was called the father of both gods and men, and from his exalted position atop Mount Olympus, he was thought to omnisciently observe the affairs of men, seeing everything, governing all, and rewarding good conduct and punishing evil. Besides dispensing justice, Zeus was the protector of cities, the home, property, strangers, guests, and supplicants. Zeus was also known for his many children, including Persephone, Athena, Hephaestus, Hebe, Ares, Eileithyia, Dionysus, and many others. Although Zeus was regarded by Greek religionists everywhere as omnipotent and the head of the pantheon, his very universality tended to reduce his importance compared with that of powerful local divinities like Athena and Hera.