The movement of waves was frequently compared to the galloping of horses, creating a link between the sea god and their creation. While the inclusion of horses among a sea god’s imagery might seem incongruous, the two were actually very closely associated in the ancient world. So while much of Poseidon’s imagery focused on the sea, he was also closely associated with horses and chariots. One of these was Pegasus, the famous winged horse. Poseidon occasionally took the form of a horse and some of his children were even said to be equine. Although he was the god of the sea, he was also said to have created the first horses. The hippocampoi were a logical variation on the land-based version of Poseidon’s sacred animal. The name, meaning “seahorse” was literal in ancient Greek and these fantastical creatures pulled Poseidon’s chariot with the heads and front legs of horses and the tails of enormous fish. The sea creatures associated with Poseidon included a very unique type of animal, the hippocampoi. His retinue often included dolphins and fish and he was sometimes surrounded by shells or seaweed.
By striking his trident against the earth, Poseidon could call up water or even cause earthquakes.Īs a sea god, Poseidon was often shown with the features and creatures of his domain as well. The trident was more than just a distinctive symbol, it was a powerful weapon. Zeus received his thunderbolts and Hades was given a helmet that granted invisibility to its wearer. In thanks, the Cyclopes presented the three sons of Cronos with distinct and powerful gifts. When the gods of Olympus waged war against the Titans, they freed the imprisoned Cyclopes and Hecatonchieres as allies. The god of the sea was rarely separated from his distinctive weapon, the three-pronged trident.
Perhaps more than any other god of the pantheon of Olympians, Poseidon had one unique and consistent symbol. And while Poseidon’s trident was central to his iconography, the story that surrounds it presents a puzzle for modern readers. There were other things associated with Poseidon that seem less obvious at first glance, however. His trident, a type of three-pronged fishing spear, was both his primary weapon and his most usual symbol. One item related to the sea was also the symbol that most obviously represented its god. Sea creatures, both real and imagined, formed his retinue and the features of the water were central to his iconography.
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