Neptune vs Poseidon: Exploring the Similarities and Differences
Neptune vs Poseidon is an article that will uncover the similarities and differences between the two gods of Roman and Greek mythologies respectively. Though Neptune is a deity in the Roman pantheon and Poseidon is a god in the Greeks’ most people tend to confuse the two deities.
This article will contrast both gods and explain their origins, similarities and differences. Also, common questions regarding these two deities will be tackled.
Neptune vs Poseidon Comparison Table
| Feature | Neptune | Poseidon |
| Origin | Roman | Greek |
| Offspring | None | Many children |
| Physical description | Vague | Vivid |
| Festival | Neptunalia | None |
| Age | Younger | Older |
What Are the Differences Between Neptune and Poseidon?
The main difference between Neptune and Poseidon is their origin – Neptune is the god of the sea and freshwater in Roman myths while Poseidon has the same dominion in Greek mythology. On the other hand, Poseidon had many children including Theseus, Polyphemus, and Atlas while Neptune had none.
What Is Neptune Best Known For?
Neptune is best known for being a god of water, freshwater, and the sea. He is famous for being a god in Roman mythology, to be exact, he was the son of Saturn. He had divine powers such as breathing underwater and communicating with creatures of the sea.
The Origin and Nature of Neptune
Roman mythology narrates that Neptune was the son of Saturn, the god of time, and Ops, a fertility goddess. He had two brothers; Jupiter the king of the gods and Pluto, the ruler of the Underworld. Neptune also had three sisters which were Juno, the queen of the gods, Vesta, the goddess of family and Ceres the goddess of agriculture and fertility. The Romans paired Neptune with Salacia, the goddess of the sea, as his consort.
The Festival of Neptune
Neptune was famous for its annual festival, Neptunalia, which took place on July 23. The festival was characterized by revelry as the people drank freshwater and wine to cope with the heat. The women are also allowed to mingle with the men to sing and dance merrily while enjoying the fruits from the fields. The Romans gathered under the huts between the River Tiber and the road known as Via Salaria.
The citizens also spend time draining superficial water bodies that had overflowed their banks and clearing bushes around streams. The festival climaxes with the sacrificing of the bull to the god, Neptune, as a fertility god. The Neptunalia is part of three festivals celebrated during the summer of the Roman calendar. The first was the Lucaria festival which featured the clearing of groves to make way for the second festival, Neptunalia.
Neptunian was followed by the Furrinalia which was held in honor of the goddess Furrina, the deity whose dominion was springs and wells. The Furrinalia was held in the sacred grove of the goddess on the Janiculum hill located in the west of Rome. The festivals were grouped together probably because the deities were associated with water.
The Worship of Neptune
The Romans instituted Neptune as one of the only four deities to which they would offer bull sacrifices. The reason was that they regarded him as a fertility deity and an integral part of their daily lives. The other Roman gods to benefit from bull sacrifices were Jupiter, Apollo and Mars with records showing that Jupiter sometimes received a bull and a calf sacrifice. According to mythology, propitiation had to be made if the sacrifice was performed in a wrong manner.
Sources indicate that much of the Roman population didn’t have access to the sea, thus they initially worshipped Neptune as a freshwater god. Contrastingly, the Greeks were surrounded by the sea with many islands, thus Poseidon was revered as the sea deity from inception. Scholars believe that Neptune was a combination of Poseidon and the Etruscan god Nethuns of the sea. Neptune did not have any vivid physical description in Roman literature while Poseidon’s physical qualities were well laid out.
What Is Poseidon Best Known For?
The Greek god Poseidon is famous for fighting on the side of the Olympians as they overthrew the Titans. In addition, Poseidon is known for having a richer history and mythology, he is also famous for causing natural disasters when he became angry.
The Birth of Poseidon and Becoming the God of the Sea
The birth of Poseidon was an eventful one as his father, Cronus, swallowed him along with some of his other siblings to avert a prophecy. According to the prophecy, one of the sons of Cronus would overthrow him, thus he swallowed his children once they were born. Fortunately, their mother, Gaia, hid Zeus when he was born and presented a stone to Cronus pretending that was Zeus. Cronus swallowed the stone and Zeus was hidden on an island far away from the sight of Cronus.
Zeus grew up and served in the palace of Cronus as his cupbearer. One day, Zeus gave Cronus a drink which caused him to vomit all the children he had swallowed including Poseidon. Later, Poseidon helped Zeus and the Olympians to fight against the Titans in the 10-year war known as Titanomachy. The Olympians became victorious and Poseidon was given dominion over the seas and all water bodies on earth.
Poseidon Is Famous for Creating the Horse
According to one tradition, in an effort to win the heart of Demeter, the goddess of Agriculture, he decided to create the most beautiful animal in the world. However, it took him so long that by the time he finished crafting the horse he had fallen in love with Demeter.
Poseidon in the Greek Pantheon
The Greeks revered Poseidon as a major deity and erected several temples in his honor across the various cities. Even in the city of Athena, he was worshipped as the second most important deity aside from the city’s chief god, Athena. In Greek myth, Poseidon created some islands and had the power to cause earthquakes. In his anger, the Greek god Poseidon could cause shipwrecks and storms by striking the sea with his trident.
Existing fragmentary records indicate that when some sailors experienced rough seas, they sacrificed a horse to Poseidon by drowning. For example, Alexander the Great was known to have ordered the sacrifice of a four-horse chariot at the shores of Assyria before the Battle of Issus. Poseidon was also known to be the patron of the all-important Delphic Oracle before handing it over to his brother Apollo. Due to his importance to the Hellenistic religion, the god is still worshipped to this day.
Poseidon Played Major Roles in Greek Mythologies
Poseidon also made several appearances in notable Greek literary works such as the Iliad and the Odyssey. In the Iliad, Poseidon chose to fight for the Greeks due to his bitterness towards the Trojan King, Laomedon. Poseidon connived with Hera who distracts Zeus by seducing him, allowing Poseidon to favor the Greeks. However, Zeus later found out about Poseidon’s interference and sends Apollo to counter Poseidon and turn the tide in favor of the Trojans.
In the Odyssey, Poseidon was the main antagonist obstructing the journey of the main character Odysseus. His hatred for Odysseus stemmed from the fact that Odysseus blinded his son, Polyphemus. The god sent storms and huge waves the way of Odysseus in a bid to drown him but his efforts proved futile in the end. He even sent the six-headed monster, Scylla, and the dangerous whirlpool, Charybdis to destroy the fleet of Odysseus but he came out unscathed.
FAQ
What Is the Difference Between Triton vs Poseidon God?
Triton is the son of Poseidon and his consort, Amphitrite, the goddess of the sea. Unlike his father, Triton is half-man half-fish, and had a huge shell that he often blew as a trumpet. Like his father, Triton is the god of the sea and helped stranded sailors find their way.
Who Is Stronger; Poseidon vs Zeus?
Both deities have different strengths and weaknesses including ruling over different domains so it would be difficult to ascertain who is stronger. For example, Zeus’ lightning and thunderbolts could prove useless in Poseidon’s deep seas while Poseidon’s huge waves and storms may not make it to the domain of Zeus which is the sky. However, the position of Zeus as king of the gods gives him a slight edge over Poseidon.
What Are the Similarities Between Neptune vs Poseidon?
One of Poseidon and Neptune’s similarities is that both deities rule the ocean and fresh waters. Also, Poseidon preceded Neptune, thus Neptune is a carbon copy of Poseidon, which is how they are similar.
Conclusion
Neptune and Poseidon are the same gods with similar roles and mythologies. However, the main difference is that they belong to different civilizations; Neptune is a Roman deity while Poseidon is Greek. Another difference is that Poseidon has richer and more exciting mythology than Neptune.
Both gods were major deities in both civilizations and were greatly revered throughout their respective countries.
