ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Teshub

Teshub is a very important god in the ancient religion of the Hittites, who lived a long, long time ago in what is now Turkey. Teshub was the god of storms, meaning that he was in charge of when it rained or when it thundered and lightning flashed. He was a very powerful god and people believed that he controlled the weather.

The Hittites were farmers, so they needed rain to help their crops grow. They also needed to be protected from lightning because it could start wildfires that would destroy everything they worked so hard to produce. That’s why they prayed to Teshub to keep them safe and to make sure they had enough rain to keep their crops healthy.

Teshub was often depicted in art as a very strong warrior with a thunderbolt weapon. This symbolized his control over the weather and his ability to protect people from storms. The Hittites also believed that Teshub could help them win battles, because he was so strong and powerful.

Like all gods, Teshub could be happy or angry depending on how people treated him. If people treated him with respect and gave him offerings, he would be happy and would bless them with good weather and victories in battle. But if people didn’t treat him well, he could become angry and punish them with bad weather and losses in battle.

Today, people don’t worship Teshub anymore, but he is remembered as an important part of ancient Hittite culture and religion.