Ruler of the Big Blue Wet Thing

History


Poseidon was born during the 4th age, the age of the Titans. He and his two brothers, Zeus and Hades, under the advice of mother earth, released the Cyclopes’ from captivity. In gratitude the Cyclopes’ awarded Zeus with a lightning bolt, Hades with a helmet of darkness and Poseidon with a trident, his most prolific symbol. These weapons assisted in the defeat of the Titans and the new separation of domains between the three brothers. Zeus took the heavens, Hades the Underworld and Poseidon the Seas (also often considered to be the land as well). Replacing Titus Oceanus as ruler of the seas, all other water gods were under his control. His domination over the earth is asserted in names such as ‘Earth-Shaker’. His most impacting power has nothing at all to do with the sea; he causes tremendous earthquakes that caused Hades to shriek in terror. Because of this Horses are often a symbol of Poseidon, the sound of thunderstorms and earthquakes similar to the sound of pounding horse hooves (Dixon-Kennedy 259).


Poseidon’s emergence as a god took place in about 2,000 B.C. among the Ionians and Minyans in Greece. He was the most dominant and powerful god for these people, ending around 1450 B.C. when the Achaeans entered Greek territory and brought their god, Zeus, with them. The convergence of the two societies led to an intertwining of their religious beliefs and may have resulted in Poseidon becoming known as Zeus’ brother.


Adventures


The walls of Troy were originally built by Poseidon, who was banished after conspiring to dethrone his brother Zeus. The king of Troy, Laomedon, promised Poseidon and Apollo, who was also exiled, great gifts for the building of the Trojan walls. But, after the two gods had constructed the city, Laomedon’s refused payment, this enraged Poseidon and caused him to support the Achaeans in the Trojan War. Poseidon also created a sea monster that plagued the Trojans until Hercules killed it.


Poseidon also has an extensive history with his brother Zeus, first becoming jealous of the wall the Achaeans built around their ships, he complains to Zeus, who insults Poseidon and causes him to display his power of the water realm, (including freshwater) destroying the wall through floods. Hera, also contacts Poseidon to aid her against Zeus who is assisting the Trojans, enraged, he declines. However he later agrees to Hera’s plot to trick Zeus and openly defies him. “He went from conspiring against Zeus, to anger at the mere mention of opposing Zeus, and back to opposing Zeus himself. Poseidon’s attitudes towards Zeus here are not solid. Instead, they shift and sway, much like water does.”


Poseidon plays an integral role in “homer’s Odyssey” in which he is odysseus’ enemy and thwarts him at every opportunity, wrecking ships and banishing Odysseus to wander the ocean for ten years in punishment for blinding his Cyclopes son, Polyphemus.


Another infamous story of Poseidon involves the competition between him and the goddess of war, Athena, for the city of Athens. Both he and Athena competed by giving the people of Athens godly gifts. Poseidon threw a spear at the ground and produced the spring at the Acropolis. Athena giving the people of Athens the olive tree, resulting in her winning the affections of the people. In his anger over the decision, Poseidon flooded the Attic Plain. 


Eventually, Athena and Poseidon worked together by combining their powers. Although Poseidon was the god of the seas and of horses Athena created the first chariot and the first ship to sail over Poseidon’s domain.


Relationships


His father was the Titan king, Coronus who swallowed the first five children that his wife Rhea gave him: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon. The trickery of Rhea enabled her to hide her next child Zeus, who’s growth to manhood was hidden from Coronus. After drinking poison mixed into his drink by Zeus, Coronus vomited up his five children, bringing Poseidon to the world.


He had many love affairs and fathered numerous children. 
Poseidon was married to Amphitrite, daughter of Nereus and Doris. Nereus was an early deity, known as the Old Man of the Sea, and Doris was the daughter of Oceanus. Poseidon and Amphitrite had three children, Benthesicymen, Rhodes and Triton who was half-human and half-fish and became Poseidon’s herald.
Poseidon, like his brother Zeus had a very violent and imposing nature towards women. The rape of Aethra by Poseidon is an example of his powerful presence in greek mythology. This rape resulted in the birth of Theseus (hero of Athens) who he turned into a man, at Aethra’s request. Poseidon also raped Amymone after saving her during an escape from satyr.
Medusa, before turned into a monster, she was of extreme beauty. She and Poseidon had an affair and decided to make love in Athena’s temple. Athena was so offended she turned Medusa into the monster we know her as today, with snakes for hair. Athena also assisted in helping Peruses kill Medusa. After cutting off Medusa’s head, two offspring came out, Chrysaor and the flying horse Pegasus, a result of her and Poseidon’s love affair.
Poseidon’s most notorious love affair involves his sister, Demeter. Poseidon pursued Demeter and to avoid him she turned herself into a mare. In his lust for her, Poseidon transformed himself into a stallion and captured her. Their procreation resulted in a horse, Arion. Poseidon is Greek for “Husband” (possibly of wheat), and therefore it is thought that he and Demeter (goddess of wheat) are a good match because they reign as the god and goddess of fertility.


Other Poseidon Affairs


Amymone (daughter of King Danaus)
child: Neuplius



Iphimedia (wife of Aloeus, who was Poseidon’s uncle and god of the wind)
children: the Giants Ephialtes and Otus
Theophane
child: ram with a golden fleece
Thossa
children: the Cyclops Polyphemus (famous from the story of Odyssey) and 
other Cyclopes


Other offspring of Poseidon include: Eumolpus, the Giant Sinis, Polyphemus, Orion, King Amycus, Proteus, Agenor and Belus from Europa, Pelias, and the King of Egypt, Busiris.


Appearance


He is generally represented as a mature, muscular, bearded man and is associated with horses, dolphins, and his trident. Like many of the Greek gods, he represents a set of standards that is somewhat ambiguous. More than anything else, he represents a changing character. “His attitudes, like water, are constantly shifting.”
He is often pictured with seashells and other types of sea life.




Symbols


His symbol is most commonly the three pronged trident, the present he received from the cyclops and that he is most commonly seen holding. Around 2000 B.C. in his emergence as a God the symbol of a horse also became a strong symbol of Posiedons power, as symbols of his power and dominance. Other symbols of Poseidon include:  dolphins, sea shells, bulls, earthquakes, fish’s, tidal waves, water springs, underground water and sea monsters. 








Sports


Poseidon's is most likely to represent water sports as the main basis of his symbolics are water related, however some other sports involving horses or bull may be applicable in some cases.
Some water sports that could be used include:

• Swimming
• Triathlon
• Diving
• Water Polo
• Synchronised Swimming
• Body Boarding
• Kayaking/Canoeing
• White Water Rafting
• Water Skiing
• Wake Boarding
• Surfing
• Yatching

Other Sports:

• Rodeo
• Polo
• Jousting

Sports that have a sense of power or movement, such as Water Polo, White Water Rafting, Wake Boarding and Swimming are more likely to suit Poseidon's image.
Also it could work out to take some of the Red Bull extreme sports to play on the Bull symbology.


Sources
http://www.casawomo.com/essays/a-history-of-poseidon
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_Poseidon’s_family_history
http://www.pantheon.org/articles/p/poseidon.html
http://historylink102.com/greece2/poseidon.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_water_sports


Images
http://tiny.cc/9j74f
http://tiny.cc/230hz
http://tiny.cc/pp124
http://tiny.cc/7c4x4