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
Image courtesy of the National Archaelogical Museum at Athens, Greece. Greek Ministry of Culture-Archaeological Receipt Fund. (c) Greek Ministry of Culture.
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 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.
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