“Poseidon, in ancient Greek religion, god of the sea (and of water generally), earthquakes, and horses. He is distinguished from Pontus, the personification of the sea and the oldest Greek divinity of the waters”
Poseidon Identified with Neptunus by the Romans, was the god of the Mlediterranean Sea. He was the
son of Cronos and Rhea, whence he is Called Cronius, and by Latin poets Saturnius. Accordingly, he was a brother of Zeus and Hades. It was
determined by lot that he should rule over the sea. Like his brothers and sisters, he was after birth, swallowed by his father, but thrown up again.
In the Homeric poems Poseidon is described as equal to Zeus in dignity, but less powerful. He resented
the attemps of Zeus to intimidate him he even threatened his mightier brother, and once conspired with Hera and Athena to put him in chains, but on
other occasions we find nim submissive to Zeus.
He rode a chariot over the waves of the sea, which became smooth As he approached, while the monsters
of the deep played around his chariot, Poseidon, in conjunction with Apollo, built the walls of Troy for Laomedon, whence, Troy is called Neptunia
Pergama. Poseidon sided with the Greeks in the Trojan war. In the Odyssey he appears hostile to
Ulysses. He created the horse, when he disputed with Athena as to which of them should give name
to the capital of Attica. He was accordingly believed to have taught men the art of managing horses by the bridle, and to have been the originator
and protector of horse races. He even metamorphosed himself into a horse, for the purpose of deceiving Demeter. Poseidon was married to Amphitrite, by whom he had three children: Triton,
Rhode and Benthesicyme. The sacrifices offered to him generally consisted of black and white
bulls, rams and wild boars. Horse and chariot, races were held in his honour on the Corinthian
isthmus. The symbol of Poseidon’s power was the trident, or a spear with three points. The pine tree was sacred to him. So were the dolphin and the
horse.
On Indo-Greek coins he is represented wearing diadem and himation (outer garment), and holding
a long trident, palm and fillet. On a type of Nikias, he is symbolised by a dolphin twined round an anchor.