Poseidon

Greek bronze sculpture depicting the god Poseidon. "Poseidon Soter at Artemisium" (c. 575 B.C.). The statue was found in the Aegean Sea in 1926. Click on image for full size (77K JPEG) Image courtesy of the National Archaelogical Museum at Athens, Greece. (c) Greek Ministry of Culture - Archaeological Receipt Fund.

Poseidon was the Greek god of the sea and earthquakes. Poseidon was depicted as a bearded man with long hair, holding a trident and accompanied by dolphins and fish. He had the reputation for having a very bad temper. The symbol of Poseidon's power was the three pronged spear known as the trident.

The storms and earthquakes were a reflection of his furious rage. When he was angry, he split mountains and threw them into the sea to make islands. Poseidon was the brother of Zeus and Hades. He married Amphitrite who was one of his attendants, the Nereids. The Greek god Poseidon was known to the Romans with the name of Neptune.