The sea has always been a source of mystery and wonder, as one or more deities ruled them. These sea gods were revered for their powers, strength, and wisdom. They greatly influenced the water and its aquatic creatures.
In this article, we will be listing some of the most prominent sea gods you never knew existed.
Poseidon
Family: Son of Cronus and Rhea; brother of Zeus
Special Powers: Ability to create storms, earthquakes, floods, and droughts with the help of his trident. Also had the capability to teleport and shapeshift
Poseidon is known as the god of drought, floods, horses, and earthquakes. Greek mythology records him as one of the most powerful gods, the son of the Titans Cronus and Rhea, and brother to Zeus (god of the sky) and Hades (god of the underworld). He was also one of the significant Olympian deities and famous Greek sea gods and was revered for his strength and wrath.
Poseidon was always portrayed with the symbol of his power, a trident. He was known to have a host of lovers and hence numerous offspring from different women and sea goddesses. He was only officially married to his queen Amphitrite, and together they had a son, Triton.
Amphitrite
Family: Daughter of Nereus and Doris, wife to Poseidon, and had two children
Special Powers: Control over water and aquatic creatures. Superhuman strength and ability to teleport and metamorphose
Amphitrite was known as Lord Poseidon’s wife, which naturally made her the goddess queen of the sea. Amphitrite was the daughter of Nereus and Doris, which puts her among the Nereids. However, marrying Poseidon raises her prominence from a nymph to a queen.
She was the personification of the sea itself and spawned its rich bounty, from the fish to the shellfish, dolphins, whales, and seals. Together with Poseidon, they have two children. Her marriage to Poseidon was one marriage that was inundated with problems and infidelities.
Leucothea
Family: Daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia, the sister of Semele
Special powers: Wet nurse; ability to deliver babies. She had command over the essence of sailors
This is another sea goddess who, according to a Greek writer, Homer, was once a mortal princess, the daughter of Cadmus. As a mortal, she was named Ino and entrusted with the nursing of Dionysus, which incurred the wrath of Hera. In an attempt to flee, she leaped, with her son Melicertes, off a cliff and into the sea.
In the sea, she encountered the Olympian gods, who transformed her and her son into a sea goddess, renaming her Leucothea, the white goddess. Leucothea is also popularly known as a protector of sailors and fishermen.
Oceanus
Family: Son of Uranus and Gaea, married to the Titan Tethys, and father of 3,000 stream spirits and ocean nymphs
Special ability: Absolute control over waters, sea creatures, and the elements of the weather
Oceanus was one of the Titans, an ancient Greek god. He was the god of the Oceanus River, the source of all freshwater in the ancient world. The Oceanus River is known to encircle the entire earth, separating it from the underworld.
He was married to his sister, Tethys, who happens to be another sea god. They enjoyed a very fertile marriage, where he fathered a bountiful generation of water gods, and together they all ruled all the water bodies on Earth.
Oceanus was one sea god that loved to keep to himself most of the time. Even though he possesses a lot of power, he is not out for recognition, praise, or power tossing. He is content with simply running a freshwater empire.
Glaucus
Family: Son of Aretus and Laobie, married to Laophonte
Special powers: Possessed exceptional strength and the gift of prophecy, wisdom, and insight
Glaucus was known as an uncommon god because he was born a mortal. Glaucus was transformed into an immortal after the consumption of a herb he discovered that brought fish back to life. He was a skilled fisherman and diver before his transformation.
More than just becoming immortal, this fisherman’s appearance changed. Instead of normal human legs, he grew the tail of a fish, the color of his hair turned copper green, and his skin turned blue. This appearance today would be known as a merman.
Glaucus was known for his bravery and great strength. This can be seen in the way the ancient arts depict him – a muscular man with long hair and a beard.
He was always called upon to come to the aid of mariners and sailors caught in storms.
Pontus
Family: Son of Gaia and Aether, the Earth and Sky
Special powers: Ability to manipulate the sea and create aquatic life
Pontus is one sea god that was rarely mentioned in Greek mythology, and so very little was truly known about him. Pontus was known as one of the Greek primordial deities that, before the arrival of the Olympians, ruled on the earth.
He was more than just a god of the sea, but a sea himself, before the likes of Poseidon were known as sea gods. In fact, his name literally means “sea.” He was usually depicted in ancient art with the image of a powerful old man with a beard and crab-claw horns on his head rising up from the sea.
Achelous
Family: Son of Oceanus and Tethys
Special powers: Superhuman strength, speed, and ability to assume various forms
Achelous was a Greek sea god born to Oceanus and Tethys. He was known as the personification of the Achelous River, which is one of the longest rivers in Greece. One of the most famous stories about this sea god is his fight with Heracles for the possession of Deianeira. Heracles won by ripping one of his horns during his shape-shifting.
He was famous for his shapeshifting through several forms. This means Achelous was able to metamorphose between the appearances of a bull, a snake, and a bull-faced man. No wonder he was usually depicted as a merman with a man-headed bull, a bull-shaped centaur, and a coiling fishtail.
FAQs
Who is the strongest sea god?
As far as sea gods are concerned, Poseidon is known as the most powerful of them all, with the ability to manipulate vast bodies of water. He is one of the major Olympian deities and is known for his great strength and hence his ill-tempered and violent disposition toward both gods and men.
Is Poseidon an evil God?
Although Poseidon was known for his cruelty, he was, by all accounts, not specifically evil. He also had times he did a lot of good.
Who is the youngest god?
Although not one of the most well-known goddesses, Hebe was the youngest of the gods. Her great power was her ability to extend youth and restore health.
Who is the queen of the sea
Amphitrite was the goddess-queen of the sea, wife of Poseidon, and eldest of the fifty Nereides. She was the female personification of the sea-the mother of seals, dolphins, and fish.
