Poseidon is the Greek god of the sea and earthquakes. Mighty as the ocean’s currents, Poseidon is known in Greek mythology as one of the 12 Olympians: a.k.a. the major players of the pantheon. His family tree is filled with gods, monsters, men, and…an unusual number of horses.
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Poseidon’s Parents and Birth
Poseidon was one of the offspring of the Titans Cronus and Rhea. That’s where “unfortunate circumstances” come into play. You see, Cronus (or Kronos) was on a bit of a power trip when his kids were born. Some old prophecy meant he saw threats to his rulership looming around every corner – especially in his children.
Cronus’ big fix was just to eat his kids although it is not as brutal as Francisco Goya’s Saturn Devouring His Son. He just swallowed them whole. Poseidon, then, was swallowed by his father soon after he was born and just sort of existed within him until his younger brother, Zeus, kicked off the Titanomachy.
During the Titanomachy, the young gods were able to overthrow the Titans and shake up the Heavens. Zeus received his thunderbolts, Hades got his helm of invisibility, and Poseidon was given his iconic trident. From then on out, Zeus became King of the Heavens, while Hades and Poseidon were given lordship over the Underworld and Seas, respectively.
Poseidon’s Siblings
Poseidon had five siblings and one half-brother. The Olympian god of the sea never wanted for company growing up, probably because four out of his five siblings were also trapped in Cronus. His half-brother, the centaur Chiron, was a far later addition to the family.
Here are Poseidon’s siblings, listed in order of their birth:
The great god of the deep was born after Hades and before Zeus, making him the second to last to be born from Cronus and Rhea’s union. Thus, he was the last to be swallowed. The good news is that according to myth, Poseidon was the first to be regurgitated.
Poor Hestia, though. She was the first swallowed, the last thrown up, and had to deal with unwanted marriage proposals from Poseidon and Apollo. Sheesh. The girl couldn’t catch a break.
All in all, Poseidon had relatively cordial relations with his brothers and (we can only assume) tumultuous ones with his sisters. Besides pursuing Hestia, Poseidon also pursued Demeter. The goddess wasn’t too successful in evading his advances, and the brief union resulted in two minor gods. Meanwhile, Hera and Poseidon quarreled over patronage of Argos, though the nature of their complicated relationship isn’t entirely explored in myth.
*Chiron was born from a later union between Cronus and the Oceanid Philyra; he became the foster child of Apollo and the famed instructor of various Greek heroes
READ MORE: Greek Royal Family Tree: From the First Monarchs to the House of Glücksburg
Poseidon’s Brothers
Poseidon was the brother of Zeus, the god of storms, and Hades, the god of the underworld. The three fought united against the Titans during the Titanomachy. The aftermath saw them secure and divide realms amongst themselves, solidifying their roles as powerful gods.
In Greek religion, Poseidon’s interactions with his brothers are limited. They are, after all, responsible for their own slices of the world and are rather busy.
While assumed to be friendly with one another, Poseidon and Hera did attempt to overthrow Zeus at some point (albeit unsuccessfully). Otherwise, one must also consider that Zeus was never trapped inside his father like the rest of his siblings. Hades and Poseidon shared the unique experience of being consumed alongside their sisters. Though shared trauma clearly hasn’t impacted the sibling relationships of the Olympians, one can’t help but wonder if Poseidon’s bond was stronger with Hades for it.
Poseidon is not known to have interacted directly with Chiron, though Chiron did train demigod heroes speculated to be Poseidon’s sons. They also have a shared affinity for horses, with Poseidon being the god of horses and Chiron being…well, a centaur.
Poseidon’s Romantic Relationships and Other Love Pursuits
In the Greek world, the people were no strangers to the love lives of the gods and goddesses. Poseidon’ romantic feats were as well-known as Zeus’ own. As is usually the case, the gods didn’t discriminate when it came to taking lovers: other divinities, mortals, and nymphs were all considered. They likewise skirted around consent, with several of their partners being unwilling.
Here is a list of Poseidon’s known romantic companions across mythology:
- Amphitrite
- Demeter
- Aphrodite
- Medusa
- Aethra
- Thoösa
- Cleito
- Arne
- Eurynome
- Amymone
- Caenis
- Alcyone
- Larissa
- Pelops
The top of the list, Amphitrite, was actually Poseidon’s official wife. She was a Nereid and would become known as the Queen of the Sea through her marriage. Despite being Poseidon’s wife, she wasn’t entirely obliging: some myths say she fled after rejecting his proposal, only to be sought out and returned.
Demeter was similarly unwilling, being in the throes of despair over losing Persephone when her brother pursued her. The interaction left Demeter with the epithet, Erinyes, over her rage. And we are all too familiar with the myth of Medusa, whose life was cut short by the Argive hero, Perseus.
Based on the trends, romance with Poseidon was far from a dream. However, that doesn’t mean he didn’t have relations with those who enjoyed his company. Alcyone, Aphrodite, Larissa, and Pelops are among those who seemed to look fondly at their relationship with the god.
Poseidon’s Divine Offspring
Poseidon has at least 100 children. They were born to various women in myths, from mortals and goddesses alike. Historical accounts suggest alternative parents for various mythological figures, leaving who was the parent of whom as a bit of a mystery. Unfortunately, it’s just how the cookie crumbles.
Below are the notable divine children of Poseidon:
- Triton
- Rhodos
- Benthesikyme
- Despoina
- Pegasus
- Chrysaor
- The Daimones Proseoous
The first three are said to be born from Poseidon and Amphitrite. Triton, as the son of Poseidon, is frequently depicted as an archetypal merman. Rhodos, the personification of Rhodes, is occasionally ascribed as being the daughter of Aphrodite or a woman named Halia. The mythographer Apollodorus, however, cites Amphitrite as her mother; it is also from Apollodorus that we get Benthesikyme as a daughter of Poseidon.
Despoina was conceived after Poseidon’s assault on Demeter. The event also led to the birth of one of Poseidon’s more equine children, Arion. The goddess was central to the Eleusinian Mysteries, where she was worshiped alongside her mother. Her name means “Mistress” and is thought to be an epithet. Thus, her proper name has since been lost to history.
In the case of the children Pegasus and Chrysaor, their birth was somewhat more…unusual. Legends say both emerged from the headless neck of the Gorgon Medusa after her death. Per Hediod’s Theogony: “And when Perseus cut off her head, there sprang forth great Chrysaor and the horse Pegasus.” So, yeah, another human-equine child duo is born and the circumstances couldn’t be more simultaneously out-there and tragic.
Little is known about the Daimones Proseoous, save that they were a group of six malevolent spirits that lurked in seaside caverns on the island of Rhodes. By most accounts, they were pretty normal. That is until they offended the goddess Aphrodite and were struck with madness.
Nymph, Animal, and Giant Offspring
As we’ve previously addressed, gods do not always beget gods. The god Poseidon had a particular knack for creating offspring that were larger than life. Whether nymphs, animals, or actual giants, below is a list of Poseidon’s peculiar, semi-divine offspring:
- Cymopoleia
- Benthesikyme*
- Polyphemus
- Laestrygon
- Arion
- Pegasus
- Chrysomallus
- Aethusa
- Charybdis
- The Aloadae
- Otus
- Ephialtes
Perhaps the most shocking names above include the Cyclops, Polyphemus, and the sea monster, Charybdis. Both are famous for their antagonist roles in the Odyssey, where they tormented the titular character, Odysseus. After Odysseus blinded the god’s son, Poseidon sent a storm to destroy Odysseus’ fleet as retribution, turning an otherwise short journey into 10 years of hell. Poseidon remained a thorn in Odysseus’ side for other slights, but his revenge on behalf of Polyphemus is one of the more memorable moments in the tale.
The Aloadae were also known as nothing short of trouble. These two handsome giants devised a plot to storm Olympus and take Artemis and Hera as their wives. Only, Apollo didn’t take kindly to the thought of his sister being kidnapped and forced into marriage. Before the Aloadae successfully scaled Olympus, the sun god killed them both.
Shockingly, the above isn’t the only offense made by the Aloadae: they had once captured the god of war, Ares, and kept him in a bronze jar for a lunar year. Hermes ended up saving Ares, but one would think the Aloadae would have had some sort of consequences.
*Benthesikyme is described as a “nymph,” a queen of Ethiopia, despite being born of two divinities, thus her mention on this list
Mortal Offspring of Poseidon
Of course, Poseidon also had (somewhat) totally average children. Several Mycenaean Greek tribes and royal lineages claim Poseidon as the father of their founder. His mortal offspring further included some notorious bandits and pirate lords – by some accounts, at least.
Here are the better-recorded mortal children of Poseidon. Generally, these fellas don’t have too much speculation surrounding their parentage and are mentioned in at least one noteworthy myth.
- Aeolus and Boeotus
- Eumolpus
- Periclymenus*
- The 10 Co-Kings of Atlantis
- Atlas
- Gadeirus
- Ampheres
- Evaemon
- Mneseus
- Autochthon
- Elasippus
- Mestor
- Azaes
- Diaprepes
*Depending on the telling, the Argonaut Periclymenus could instead be the grandson of Poseidon
Wrapping Up the Family Tree of the Mighty Sea God
In Greek myths, Poseidon is the god who would shake the earth and swell the seas. He was also a son, brother, father, and grandfather. Though no divine family tree is nice and neat (trust us, the Greek God family tree is messy), their relationships have a direct impact on myths. And, what are myths but an explanation of why the world is the way it is?
The family tree of Poseidon is complex and compelling and adds yet another layer to the rich mythology of ancient Greece.