Greek god facts Archives

Ancient Greek Gods and Goddesses: Facts About Poseidon

James 21 Comments

Here are some facts about Poseidon, the Greek God of the Sea.

Poseidon was the son of the Titans, Cronos and Rhea. He was the brother of Zeus and Hades (Pluto).
When Cronos was overthrown, Zeus, Hades and Poseidon divided the world into four parts. Zeus controlled the sky, Hades was in charge of the Underworld, and Poseidon took the seas and oceans. All three brothers were responsible for the land.

As well as being associated with the sea, Poseidon is also associated with horses and bulls.
Poseidon is an unruly god with hot temper. He is linked to earthquakes which were thought to take place when he got angry.
He rode a chariot underwater. This was pulled by seahorses.
Poseidon carried a trident (the fork of Triton) and used this to stir up the sea, creating waves and storms.
He married a sea nymph called Amphitrite.
The god Neptune was the Roman equivalent of Poseidon.
Poseidon controlled sea-monsters and storms.
Unlike many of the other Greek gods, Poseidon did not mix with men (mortals).
Poseidon was sometimes called Earth-Shaker.

Click here to learn more about some of the other Greek gods and goddesses.

James 3 Comments

Here are some facts and pieces of information about Hermes, the Ancient Greek messenger god:

When he was very young Hermes was very mishievious. He stole a herd of cattle belonging to the god Apollo and he used the gut from one of the cows, along with a tortoise shell, to make a musical instrument called a lyre.
Apollo wasn’t very pleased to find his cattle missing. He asked Silenus and the satyrs to help him find the thief. They eventually tracked down Hermes. After a a heated discussion, Hermes managed to convince Apollo to take the lyre in payment for the stolen cows.
Zeus was amused by the mischief caused by Hermes, but he didn’t want him causing more problems in the future. He decided that Hermes needed a job, so he made him the messenger of the gods. Zeus gave Hermes a pair of winged sandals and a winged helmet so that he could move quickly when delivering his messages.
Hermes was the patron of travellers and the god of trade and treaties (due to the fact that he had managed to persaude Apollo to exchange the cattle for the lyre).
It is said that thieves and liars often prayed to Hermes, hoping to receive his sympathy.
It is also said that many Ancient Greeks believed that Hermes was responsible for the invention of the alphabet, boxing and gymnastics.

Find out more about the Greek gods and goddesses – click here.

James 45 Comments

Here are some interesting facts about Zeus, the King of the Ancient Greek Gods.

Zeus was the son of the Titans (human-shaped giants) Cronos and Rhea.
Following a battle with the Titans, who were captained by his father Cronos, Zeus and his brothers and sisters (the New Gods) took control of the world. Zeus became ruler of the sky and King of the Gods.

When he is angry, Zeus hurls thunderbolts (created for him by the Cyclopes).
Zeus married his sister, Hera.
Apart from Hera, Zeus has two other sisters, Hestia and Demeter, and two brothers, Pluto and Poseidon.
The Roman name for Zeus was Jupiter.
Zeus ruled the world from Mount Olympus, but he was very keen on making visits to the Earth and getting involved in the lives of humans.
Zeus and Hera had three children, Ares, Eris and Hebe.
Zeus had several relationships with mortal women, goddesses and nymphs (such as Leda, Europa, Alcmene, Danae, Io and Semele) and he was the father to Perseus, Heracles, Tantalus, Polydictes, Minos, Helen (and many more).
Zeus was incredibly powerful and he was exceedingly terrifying when he was angry.
He was immortal and could do what he wanted to the lives of mortal men and women.

Click here to find out more information about some of the other Ancient Greek gods and goddesses.