Thunderbolt
Also known as: fulmen · lightning · lightning bolt
- 1A thunderbolt is a symbolic representation of lightning.
- 2The term specifically denotes a lightning flash accompanied by a thunderclap.
- 3Natural lightning occurs at a rate of approximately 8.6 million strikes per day.
- 4Heat lightning is an atmospheric discharge that occurs without audible sound.
A thunderbolt, or lightning bolt, is a symbolic representation of lightning.
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primary weapon and symbol of power
Forged by the Cyclopes, the thunderbolt is the iconic weapon Zeus uses to enforce his will and punish those who defy him.
A thunderbolt is a symbolic representation of lightning, often depicted in historical, literary, and contemporary contexts. The term specifically implies the presence of a loud thunderclap occurring alongside a flash of lightning, distinguishing it from a simple electrical discharge.
The high-voltage electricity warning symbol is a contemporary example of thunderbolt iconography.Wikimedia Commons: File:ГОСТ_12.4.026-76_№_2.5.svgZeus ' head and thunderbolt on a coin from Epirus, 234 BC.Wikimedia Commons: File:Epirus234bc.jpgThe thunderbolt pattern with an eagle on a coin from Olympia, Greece, 432-c.421 BC.Wikimedia Commons: File:Greek_Silver_Stater_of_Olympia_(Elis).jpgZeus' head and thunderbolt on a coin from Capua, Campania, 216-211 BC.Wikimedia CommonsPtolemaic coin showing the Eagle of Zeus, holding a thunderboltWikimedia CommonsNeo-Attic bas-relief sculpture of Jupiter, holding a thunderbolt in his right hand; detail from the Moncloa Puteal (Roman, 2nd century), National Archaeological Museum, MadridWikimedia Commons Natural lightning is a common atmospheric phenomenon, with millions of strikes occurring daily. Variations include heat lightning, which lacks audible sound, and artificial discharges produced by devices like a Tesla coil. While the term lightning bolt refers strictly to the electrical discharge itself, the thunderbolt carries the added weight of the associated acoustic event.