One of the most important issues in ancient polytheistic religious systems is how the universe is governed. Every component -natural or social, human or divine- needs to be supervised and firmly led, because only a state of equilibrium between opposing forces will preserve its existence. As the gods are in charge of the macro-and microcosmos, divine politics is pivotal in maintaining a perfectly functioning universe. The most prevalent form of godly leadership is the triad, a naturally hierarchical organisation, and numerous myths recount the struggles within the pantheon to establish the most effective form of it. A recurrent motif in the mythological literature of ancient Mediterranean cultures is, indeed, that of kingship and the transmission of power, as especially evident in Mesopotamian and Greek traditions, where mythological poemas such as Enuma Elish, Atrahasis or Theogony, provide extensive elaboration on this theme. In my paper, I shall explore the notion of hierarchy within the religious structure of polytheism, through the study of the dynamics inherent to the Sumerian-Akkadian (An/Anu, Enlil, Enki/Ea) and Greek (Zeus, Poseidon, Hades) triads of power when universal governance is at stake. The textual analysis and the comparative methodological framework will be instrumental in delineating and comprehending both the historical contexts and the simbolic underpinnings of religious thought in ancient world, thus preventing from ideologically biased interpretations of ancient myths.