Poseidon (deity)
Poseidon is an important deity in ancient Greek mythology, primarily recognized as the god of the sea, but also associated with water, earthquakes, and horses. He is one of the twelve Olympian gods, alongside his brothers Zeus, who governs the heavens, and Hades, who rules the underworld. A significant figure in Greek lore, Poseidon played a crucial role in the overthrow of their father, Cronus, and was integral to many mythological events, including the Trojan War and various quests of heroes like Odysseus and Theseus.
Worshipped by sailors and coastal communities, Poseidon was often appeased with sacrifices, such as horses or bulls, to ensure safe voyages across treacherous waters. His home was a grand palace on the ocean floor, where he resided with his wife, Amphitrite, and their offspring, including Triton and the cyclops Polyphemus. Despite his powerful stature, Poseidon was known for his contentious nature, often attempting to expand his influence over land and cities, such as his rivalry with Athena for the patronage of Athens. Temples dedicated to Poseidon, such as the one at Cape Sounion, reflect his significance in ancient Greek culture, where athletic games were held in his honor. Through art and literature, Poseidon's legacy continues to resonate, embodying the unpredictable and formidable forces of nature.
On this Page
Poseidon (deity)
Symbols: Trident
Culture: Greek
Mother: Rhea
Father: Cronus
Siblings: Zeus; Hades; Hera; Hestia; Demeter
Children: Proteus (god); Triton (god); Pegasus (winged horse); Chrysaor (human); Theseus (human); Nauplius (human); Pelias (human); Antaeus (giant); Orion (giant); Polyphemus (giant); Hippothoon (human); Charybdis (monster); dozens more
To the ancient Greeks, Poseidon was primarily the god of the sea, but he also had roles as the god of water in general, of earthquakes, and of horses. His Roman equivalent was Neptune. Poseidon, along with his brothers Zeus and Hades, overthrew their father Cronus and instituted a new divine order. While Zeus assumed control of the heavens and Hades ruled the underworld, Poseidon became god of the sea. Given the importance of the sea to the ocean-traveling Greeks, that role made him a very important god. Stormy seas meant the possibility of loss of life or cargo, so sailors were intent on winning his favor. Sailors sometimes sacrificed horses or bulls— the symbol of the turbulent sea—to the god before beginning a voyage in hopes of ensuring smooth waters. Dolphins were the symbol of the calm sea.
Poseidon lived with his wife Amphitrite, one of the Nereids, in a vast palace on the ocean floor. The couple had several children, including Triton. Like his brother Zeus, Poseidon had many lovers and dozens of children. The most prominent offspring are the monster Charybdis (mother Gaea), the hero Theseus (mother Aethra), the giants Polyphemus (mother Thoosa) and Orion (mother Euryale), and the winged horse Pegasus (mother Medusa).
In Mythology
Cronus the Titan heard a prophecy that one of his sons would overthrow him, so he swallowed each of his children, including Poseidon, as they were born. Zeus was spared this fate by virtue of the cunning of his mother Rhea, who hid him and substituted a stone that Cronus swallowed. After he was grown, Zeus convinced Cronus to swallow something that made him vomit up all his children. The prophecy was fulfilled when the freed children overthrew Cronus. Poseidon then joined his brother in fighting the giants in the gods’ contest against those enemies. He defeated the giant Polybotes after a mighty struggle that ended when Poseidon broke off a chunk of the island of Kos and hurled it at the giant, crushing him and forming a new island in the process.
With Cronus overthrown and the giants defeated, the Olympian age had now begun. Poseidon was one of the twelve Olympian gods, a core group of deities who included his siblings Zeus, Hera, Hestia, and Demeter (although not Hades); Apollo, Ares, Artemis, Athena, Hermes, and Hephaestus (all children of Zeus); and Aphrodite.
Although Poseidon had allied with Zeus in overthrowing their father, he was not content with his lot. He tried—and failed—to overthrow Zeus. He also competed with Athena to become the patron of Athens. As gifts, he offered horses and a spring that would supply the people of Athens with fresh water. They chose Athena’s gift of the olive tree instead, although they continued to hold Poseidon in high regard and had a temple to him at nearby Colonus Hippius (from hippo, meaning "of horses"). He tried to wrest the region of Argolis from Hera. Three river gods were chosen to settle this dispute. They decided in Hera’s favor, angering Poseidon, who forced the rivers to dry up. He was more successful in claiming the Isthmus of Corinth from Helios, god of the sun. Although Poseidon did not win complete control over the area, he did get most of it. This region then became sacred to him.
Poseidon figures prominently in both The Iliad, Homer’s epic of the war between the Greeks and the Trojans, and The Odyssey, Homer’s epic about the adventures of Odysseus after that war. Poseidon first appeared in Trojan history as a result of his failed revolt against his brother. Zeus favored Laomedon, the king of Troy, and he wanted to punish Poseidon for rebelling against him. So Zeus ordered the sea god to aid the mortal and build the walls of Troy. Laomedon, however, refused to pay Poseidon the wages he owed the god for this work. In revenge, Poseidon sent a sea monster to ravage Troy’s coast.
During the Trojan War, Poseidon favored the Greeks and gave rousing speeches and sometimes took human form to fight alongside them. However, he also helped the Trojan Aeneas avoid being killed by Achilles. The sea god appears in The Odyssey after Odysseus blinds Polyphemus, the giant who was one of Poseidon’s sons. The god became enraged, and his anger contributed to the ten-year delay Odysseus endured before returning home.
Origins and Cults
Poseidon actually may have been older than Zeus, with some sway over the land as well as the seas. His position as elder son might explain his fights with other gods to retain control over some land areas. The Isthmus of Corinth was important to Poseidon, perhaps reflecting how vital it was as a waterway to the Greek people. Athletic games called the Isthmian Games were held in the spring in Poseidon’s honor every two years; they took place at a shrine on the isthmus. These games were one of four sporting events that were popular in ancient Greece. The Isthmian Games continued until Christianity took hold in the Roman Empire in the fourth century CE.
A temple was dedicated to Poseidon at Sounion, a cape on the Attic Peninsula and on the eastern shores of the Gulf of Corinth. That temple was built in the mid-fifth century BCE, replacing an earlier structure that had been destroyed by the Persians, and it was constructed under the guidance of the Athenian statesman Pericles. The marble structure was about 102 feet long and nearly 44 feet wide, and it had 34 Doric-style columns. Fewer than 15 of the columns remain, and only fragments of the friezes that decorated the temple have survived to modern times. Some show the exploits of Theseus, one of Poseidon’s sons. The site remains an important tourist attraction.
Although the isthmian shrine and the temple at Cape Sounion were near the coast, other places sacred to Poseidon were farther inland. These inland sites were dedicated to him more because of his role as the god of earthquakes, which he could cause by striking his trident into the ground.
A marble statue from the second century BCE shows Poseidon holding a trident. Some ancient coins show the god throwing this trident. He is also depicted in a chariot that is being pulled by golden horses; by figures like his half-human, half-fish son Triton; or by creatures that are half horse and half serpent.
Bibliography
Anthology of Classical Myth: Primary Sources in Translation. Ed. and trans. Stephen R. Trzaskoma, Scott Smith, and Stephen Brunet. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing, 2004. Print.
Martin, Richard M. Myths of the Ancient Greeks. New York: New American Library, 2003. Print.
Mikalson, Jon D. Ancient Greek Religion. 2nd ed. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010. Print.
Murgatroyd, P. "The Wrath of Poseidon." Classical Quarterly 65.2 (2015): 444-48. Print.
Pevnick, Seth B. Poseidon and the Sea: Myth, Cult and Daily Life. London: D. Giles, 2014. Print.
"Temple of Poseidon at Sounion." Ancient-Greece.org. Ancient-Greece.org, n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2016. <http://ancient-greece.org/architecture/temple-poseidon-sounio.html>.