With Gotham's underworld in constant turmoil sparked by the comings and goings of masterminds like the Joker and the Penguin and the inevitable corruption which seems to be a part of Gotham City - Zeus was in a position to climb to the top. He quickly amassed a following, perhaps as a result of his charismatic personality.
It was about this time that his wife either left him or died and Zeus took to raising his daughter Medea alone. Some unexplained events led Zeus to leave academia and turn to crime. Maxie Zeus is reportedly a former professor of Greek and a foremost expert on their history and culture.