How was Amphitrite born?
Amphitrite was born to Nereus, a wise sea god, and Doris, an ocean nymph. She was one of their fifty daughters, called the Nereids, who weresea nymphs associated with the Aegean Sea.

Amphitrite’s Origins and Family

Amphitrite belonged to an ancient family ofsea gods that ruled the waters long beforeZeus and theOlympians came to power.

Most Greek stories tell us she was the daughter of Nereus, an old and wise sea god known as the “Old Man of the Sea,” and his wife Doris, a seanymph.^[1]Some less common tales say her parents were Oceanus andTethys, the divine couple who represented the world-ocean that was thought to circle the earth.^[2]

As a Nereid, Amphitrite was one of fifty sisters who lived in the Mediterranean Sea. These sea nymphs were known for their beauty and helpful nature toward sailors. Among her many sisters were Thetis (who later became the mother of the heroAchilles), Galatea, who was loved by theCyclops Polyphemus, and Cymothoe, who according to Virgil’s Aeneid, helped Aeneas retrieve his stranded ships during a storm.^[3] 

These divine sisters spent their days swimming through ocean waves, dancing in sea caves, and caring for the creatures of the deep. They were also seen as guardians of the sea and protectors of those who ventured upon it.

Beyond her immediate family, Amphitrite was part of a vast network of Greek sea deities. Her grandfather,Pontus, was one of the earliest gods of the sea, while her uncle Proteus was a shapeshifting sea god who could see the future. She also had ties to Triton,Poseidon’s son, who is often described as her child.

With so many gods and nymphs tied to the ocean, theGreek pantheon painted the sea as a world full of powerful and unpredictable beings.

Her role in this divine family was quite unique. While other Nereids were seen as playful or gentle figures, she became a queen, ruling alongside her husband,Poseidon. Her story shows how the Greeks saw the sea—not just as a place of beauty, but one of power, mystery, and command.

Amphitrite and Poseidon

When Poseidon first saw Amphitrite dancing with her sisters on the island of Naxos, he immediately wanted to marry her. But like many divine maidens who had no choice in such matters, Amphitrite fled from his advances.

She swam far away to the farthest shores near Atlas, hoping to escape. Poseidon sent many messengers to find her, but it was a kind dolphin named Delphinus who finally convinced her to return and marry the sea god. As thanks, Poseidon placed the dolphin’s image among the stars as the constellation Delphinus.^[4]

Life in their underwater palace wasn’t always peaceful. Poseidon was famous for his many affairs with both goddesses and mortal women. When he fell in love with a beautiful maiden named Scylla, Amphitrite grew so jealous that she threw magical herbs intoScylla‘s bathing pool, turning the girl into a six-headed monster.

Poseidon’s affair withMedusa (some versions say she was either seduced or assaulted by Poseidon) inAthena’s temple also angered Amphitrite, though myths don’t mention her direct involvement in Medusa’s fate.

Role and Powers of Amphitrite

As queen of the seas, Amphitrite held great power over the waters and everything that lived in them. While Poseidon commanded the seas with histrident and created storms and earthquakes, Amphitrite had her own special abilities. She could calm rough waters, making the sea peaceful for sailors when she wished.

Greek fishermen often prayed to her before setting out on their boats, hoping she would grant them safe passage and bountiful catches.

Amphitrite had a strong connection to all sea creatures. She could speak to and command dolphins, fish, seals, and other animals of the deep. Many ancient stories tell how schools of fish would follow her as she swam through her underwater realm.

Dolphins were especially dear to her—not surprising since a dolphin had helped bring her to Poseidon.^[5] Ancient artwork often shows her riding on dolphins or surrounded by fish that seem to dance around her.

As Poseidon’s wife and queen, Amphitrite helped rule their vast underwater kingdom. Their golden palace at the bottom of the ocean was said to be a place of wonder, where sea creatures served as courtiers and messengers.

When Poseidon was away causing storms or visitingMount Olympus, Amphitrite took charge of the seas. She made sure the tides ran properly and sea creatures lived in harmony.

Sailors believed Amphitrite could rescue them from drowning and protect their ships from dangerous creatures. Many coastal shrines were built to honor her, especially in fishing towns.

While not as famous as her powerful husband, Amphitrite was deeply respected by those who made their living from the sea. Her gentle but firm rule over marine life balanced Poseidon’s more wild and unpredictable nature.

Symbols and Depictions of Amphitrite

One of Amphitrite’s most common symbols was the crab, which often decorated her hair or clothing. She also carried a fishing net or trident-like spear in many images, showing her control over sea creatures. Of course, the dolphin was another animal closely tied to her, recalling how a dolphin convinced her to marry Poseidon.

In Greek vase paintings and sculptures, artists showed Amphitrite as a beautiful woman with flowing hair, sometimes with small sea creatures or shells woven into her locks. She typically wore a chiton (a type of Greek dress) that appeared wet or flowing like water.

Many temple carvings show her riding across the waves in a chariot pulled by hippocampi—horses with fish tails instead of back legs. She is often surrounded by Tritones, half-human, half-fish creatures who serve as her attendants.

Unlike her sister Thetis, whom artists often showed in scenes related to her sonAchilles, Amphitrite mostly appeared in sea-themed scenes, often alongside Poseidon. While other sea nymphs, like Galatea, were depicted as young, playful maidens, Amphitrite had a more regal, serious look fitting her status as queen. Her posture was usually straight and dignified, while lesser sea nymphs might be shown dancing or playing.

Roman mosaics particularly loved to feature Amphitrite, often surrounding her with colorful fish and sea creatures in elaborate underwater scenes. These floor mosaics in baths and coastal villas showed her ruling calmly over a busy underwater world, a striking contrast to Poseidon’s more dramatic, storm-tossing images.^[6]

Amphitrite’s Offspring

Amphitrite and Poseidon hadseveral divine children who played various roles in the mythical world ofancient Greece.

Their most famous child was Triton, a unique being who was half-man and half-fish. Triton had a human upper body and the tail of a fish. He carried a special twisted seashell trumpet that he blew to either calm the ocean waves or stir them up, depending on his parents’ wishes. Greeks believed that when sailors heard certain conch shell sounds at sea, it was Triton controlling the waters.

In many stories, Triton served as his father’s messenger and helper, swimming ahead of Poseidon’s chariot to announce the sea god’s arrival.

Another daughter, Rhodos, became the goddess of the island of Rhodes. According to myth, Rhodos fell in love with thesun god Helios, and their union blessed the island with sunshine and prosperity. The island itself was named after her, and the people there honored her as a protector.^[7]

Kymopoleia was perhaps the most feared of Amphitrite’s children. She controlled violent sea storms and dangerous waves that could destroy ships. Unlike her mother, who often calmed the waters,Kymopoleia took after her father’s more destructive tendencies. Sailors dreaded her anger and made special offerings to keep her happy.^[8]

The least known of their children was Benthesicyme, who stories say lived in Ethiopia.^[9]As a sea nymph with special powers over the coastal waters of Africa, she protected local fishermen and taught them how to navigate dangerous reefs. One myth tells how she raised a lost child, Eumolpos, who later became king ofancient Thrace.

Each of Amphitrite’s children reflected a different aspect of the sea—its calm surface, its violent storms, its far-reaching influence, and its deep, hidden mysteries.

Myths and Stories Involving Amphitrite

One of the most famous myths featuring Amphitrite tells how she transformed the beautiful maiden Scylla into a horrible monster. When Poseidon showed interest in the pretty Scylla, Amphitrite grew jealous.

She gathered magical herbs from the depths of the ocean and secretly poured them into the pool where Scylla bathed. When the water touched Scylla’s skin, she changed into a six-headed beast with twelve feet and a ring of barking dogs around her waist. Sailors would fear this monster for centuries to come.

Another tale shows Amphitrite’s kinder side. When the hero Theseus needed to prove he was truly Poseidon’s son, his friends doubted him and threw a gold ring into the sea, challenging him to retrieve it.

Theseus dove into the water, where Amphitrite welcomed him to her underwater palace. She not only gave him the ring but also presented him with a glowing crown made of coral and jewels. WhenTheseus returned to the surface wearing this crown, everyone believed in his divine heritage.

Greek fishermen told stories of Amphitrite commanding dolphins to guide lost ships through foggy waters or sending schools of fish toward starving coastal villages. In one such tale, she saved an entire island from famine by leading tuna fish to swim near their shores after months of empty nets.

In another myth, Amphitrite used her power over sea creatures to punish a boastful fisherman who claimed he caught more fish than she could count. She sent octopuses to tangle his nets and crabs to snip his fishing lines until he learned humility and made proper offerings at her shrine.

During the great flood sent by Zeus, while Poseidon raised the waters, Amphitrite worked quietly to save many sea creatures by creating new underwater caves and grottoes where they could shelter from the churning waters. After the flood ended, she helped restore balance to marine life.

Amphitrite’s Worship and Temples

Amphitrite was not one of the major goddesses worshipped in ancient Greece, but she had a presence in coastal cities and islands. She was honored alongside Poseidon, especially in places where seafarers relied on the gods for safe travel. While there were no grand temples dedicated solely to her, she was likely worshipped in sanctuaries of Poseidon, such as those in Corinth and on the island of Tenos (modern Tinos).

Some evidence suggests sailors and fishermen prayed to Amphitrite for calm seas and protection from storms. Offerings, such as small statues or tokens, were left at seaside shrines.

While no specific festivals were dedicated to her alone, she was part of broader maritime rituals, often alongside Poseidon and other sea deities. Even though her worship was not widespread, her role as queen of the sea made her an important figure inGreek mythology, especially for those whose lives depended on the ocean.

Amphitrite in Art, Literature, and Modern Culture

Ancient Greek artists loved to show Amphitrite in their work. On black and red pottery from the fifth century BCE, she often appears beside Poseidon in underwater scenes.

She was also revered inancient Rome as Salacia. Roman floor mosaics in bathhouses and wealthy homes showed her riding sea creatures or holding a trident alongside her husband Neptune (Poseidon). TheAltar of Domitius Ahenobarbus in Rome features a wedding scene of Salacia andNeptune that became a model for many later artworks.

In literature, Homer briefly mentions Amphitrite in theOdyssey, calling her “the loud-moaning queen of the sea.” Hesiod’sTheogony lists her among the important Nereids and notes her marriage to Poseidon.The Roman poet Ovid tells the story of how she turned Scylla into a monster out of jealousy. These ancient writers didn’t give Amphitrite as much attention as othergods and goddesses, but they established her place in the Greek pantheon.

Her role in modern culture is not robust, but she’s not invisible either. Amphitrite appears in Rick Riordan’sPercy Jackson series as Poseidon’s immortal wife, who stays mostly in their underwater palace. In the 2014 online multiplayer video gameSmite, players can control Amphitrite as a goddess with water-based powers.

While one of the more obscure Greek deities, Amphitrite’s story shows that even the less revered gods helped shape tales still relevant today.

Amphitrite’s Lasting Role in Greek Mythology

Amphitrite may not be the loudest voice in Greek mythology, but she’s one of the most powerful.

As queen of the sea, wife to Poseidon, and mother of gods like Triton, she ruled the ocean’s depths with quiet strength. Her tales may be few, but that only makes her more interesting—just like the deep sea she represents. She’s calm and wild, gentle and fierce, and always watching from below the waves.

She’s a reminder that the sea isn’t just water—it’s power, mystery, and life. And in every crashing wave, her legend still lives on.

References 

1. “Nereides.” n.d. Theoi Greek Mythology. Accessed April 4, 2025.https://www.theoi.com/Pontios/Nereides.html.
2. Kapach, Avi. n.d. March 09, 2023. “Amphitrite.” Mythopedia.https://mythopedia.com/topics/amphitrite.
3. “The Aenid.” n.d. Project Gutenberg. Accessed on April 4, 2025.gutenberg.org/files/228/228-h/228-h.htm.
4. “Delphin.” n.d. Theoi Greek Mythology. Accessed April 4, 2025.https://www.theoi.com/Ther/Delphin.html.
5. Brouwers, Josho . December 12, 2018. “Neptune and Amphitrite A mosaic from Herculaneum.” Ancient World Magazine.https://www.ancientworldmagazine.com/articles/neptune-amphitrite-mosaic-herculaneum/.
6. “Rhode.” n.d. Theoi Greek Mythology. Accessed April 4, 2025.https://www.theoi.com/Nymphe/NympheRhode.html.
7. Clark. September 14, 2022. “Kymopoleia: The Unknown Sea Goddess of Greek Mythology.” Classical Literature.https://ancient-literature.com/kymopoleia/.
8. “Benthesikyme.” n.d. Theoi Greek Mythology. Accessed April 4, 2025.https://www.theoi.com/Nymphe/NympheBenthesikyme.html.
9. Kizer, Kelly. August 24, 2024. “Delphinus the Dolphin Has a Graceful Kite Shape.” EarthSky.https://earthsky.org/constellations/delphinus-the-dolphin-summer-triangle/.

How to Cite this Article

There are three different ways you can cite this article.

1. To cite this article in anacademic-style article or paper, use:

Edwin Maina, "Amphitrite: The Greek Goddess of the Sea",History Cooperative, May 14, 2025,https://historycooperative.org/amphitrite/. Accessed July 4, 2025

2. Tolink to this article in the text of an online publication, please use this URL:

https://historycooperative.org/amphitrite/

3. If your web page requires anHTML link, please insert this code:

<a href="https://historycooperative.org/amphitrite/">Amphitrite: The Greek Goddess of the Sea</a>