Long before the twelve gods of Olympus came to power, people worshipped and were ruled by the sons of Gaia (Earth) and Ouranos (Heaven). These were the giants, or the Titans. In a battle that shook the very foundation of the universe, these giants struggled against the Olympian gods, led by Zeus the son of the Titan Chronos (Time).

Other Titans such as Phoebus, Koios and his brother Kinnos, also sought refuge on the Isle of Kos. Kinnos even named it after himself, "Kinnis". Mythology links the island with probably the most famous of all Ancient Greek heroes, the invincible demi-god, Hercules.

Zeus was the head of the twelve gods of Olympus and his weapon was the terrifying lightning bolt which he hurled at his enemies. In spite of the fact that he was a god, Zeus had one fundamental weakness. He found it hard to resist mortal women! So when he saw the lovely Alcmene, Zeus yearned for her and so he took the form of her husband Amphitryon and fooled her into making love