51 Amphitrite Facts To Learn More About The Greek Goddess

Abhijeet Modi
Oct 20, 2023 By Abhijeet Modi
Originally Published on Feb 04, 2022
Amphitrite is the daughter of Poseidon.

According to her legend, goddess Amphitrite is the wife of the sea god Poseidon and was herself one of the goddesses of the seas and oceans mentioned in Greek mythology.

Amphitrite was also known in Roman mythology by the name Salacia. In Greek mythology, she is married to Poseidon, but in Roman mythology, she is married to Neptune, Poseidon's Roman counterpart.

With Poseidon, Amphitrite has two kids: Triton, who is a merman and became a minor sea god, and a daughter, Rhode, who is a sea nymph.

Amphitrite the goddess, pronounced as am-fi-trahy-tee, was one of the 50 sea nymphs born to Nereus and Doris. Her name means 'the third element' when translated into English. She had the power to manipulate seawater and control the sea creatures.

In mythological texts, she is known to be the personification of the sea. She had extensive knowledge about herbs. She could also transform herself into a hideous sea monster.

Here are some engaging Amphitrite facts which will help you get insightful knowledge about her.

Facts About Amphitrite

Listed below are some very fascinating facts about this sea goddess.

  • Amphitrite is the goddess queen of the sea.
  • The name Amphitrite literally translates to the 'third element.'
  • Amphitrite is known as the female personification of the sea.
  • She is the wife of Poseidon, one of the Greek gods of the sea.
  • Amphitrite is the daughter of Nereus and his wife, Doris.
  • The god Poseidon also had a Roman counterpart, Neptune.
  • Amphitrite's Roman counterpart, Salacia, is married to Neptune.
  • Amphitrite has two children with Poseidon, son Triton who is a merman, and daughter Rhode who is one of the sea nymphs.
  • Amphitrite is the eldest of the 50 nereids (daughters) of Nereus and Doris; Amphitrite had 49 sisters.
  • Amphitrite is pronounced as am-fi-trahy-tee
  • According to Greek mythology, she is an important goddess queen.
  • She is the granddaughter of the primal Titan Oceanus.
  • She is also the sister-in-law of Zeus (Poseidon's sister Hera's husband) and Hades (Poseidon's brother).

Amphitrite: Powers

Every god and goddess in Greek mythology has certain powers. Let's find out about the powers of Amphitrite.

  • Amphitrite is the goddess of all the seas and oceans, and can move in them as a mermaid.
  • Since she is a sea goddess, she can, of course, breathe underwater.
  • She has the ability to manipulate seawater and move around seawater however she wishes.
  • She can breed sea monsters.
  • She also holds the ability to transform into a big and hideous sea monster herself.
  • She is able to create enormous sea waves enough to drown entire cities.
  • She has extensive knowledge of herbs.
  • She also has control over underwater plants.
  • Amphitrite is competitive by nature, and as the firstborn daughter of Nereus and Poseidon's wife, she was meant to maintain ocean peace.
  • She possesses all the common Olympian goddesses' powers like immortality, superhuman strength, omnipresence, teleportation, and metamorphosis.

Amphitrite: Characteristics

The facts associated with the story of this Greek mythology goddess are given below.

  • Amphitrite was the eldest of the 50 daughters of Nereus, a sea god, and Doris, a sea-nymph.
  • She is known to be rebellious, and her story suggests when she didn't want to marry Poseidon, she had run away, and Poseidon had to send sea creatures to find her.
  • She is one of the goddesses of the sea, as mentioned in Greek mythology as well as Roman mythology.
  • She is often depicted as a woman raising her hand in a pinching gesture in many Greek vase paintings.
  • Her eyebrows have been mentioned to be adorned by crab claw horns.
  • Many a time, she is shown holding a fish.
  • In many mosaic art paintings, she is shown riding beside her husband on a chariot.
  • She is quite often referred to as the female personification of sea and ocean.
  • She is also sometimes called the 'loud-moaning mother of fish, seals, and dolphins.'
  • Homeric poems do not really describe her as a goddess. Amphitrite is merely a name for sea there.
  • In many descriptions, she is known for having seaweed as hair.
  • She is usually depicted as soaking wet.
  • Amphitrite is known to be very competitive by nature.
  • She is believed to come to the aid of sailors in distress, fight perilous storms, and take care of the sea's rich bounty.

Amphitrite: Symbolism

There is also certain symbolism associated with this particular goddess of the sea. Find all about it here!

  • Amphitrite is usually represented by a trident, dolphin, or seal.
  • In Homeric poems, she herself is the symbol of the sea and ocean.
  • She is depicted as the personification of the sea in Greek mythology.
  • The genus of a sea-dwelling worm family is named after Amphitrite.
  • Many times in poetry, Amphitrite's name is used as a synonym for Thalassa, the sea.
  • There were seven ships in Royal Navy named after Amphitrite, HMS Amphitrite.
  • In 1833, there was a shipwreck with heavy loss of life while transporting convicts to New South Wales. The ship's name was Amphitrite.
  • HM Amphitrite was the name of a Royal Netherlands Navy ship (corvette, in service 1830s).
  • There is an asteroid which is named after this Greek goddess, 29 Amphitrite.
  • The character of Amphitrite appears in the 1918 novel 'Mare Nostrum' and its 1926 film version.
  • In the year 1936, the Australian image of Amphitrite was used on a postage stamp for the submarine communications cable across the Bass Strait right from Victoria's Apollo Bay to Stanley, Tasmania.
  • A formal Greek royal yacht is named Amphitrite.
  • The Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York, has an Amphitrite pool which also contains a statue of Amphitrite.
  • Amphitrite pool is a ceremonial pool, bouncing a coin in which is considered to be good luck.
  • American actor Johnny Depp once owned a Yacht named Amphitrite.
  • There's a lighthouse in British Columbia, Canada, which is named Amphitrite Point Lighthouse.

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Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphitrite_(disambiguation)

https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Amphitrite/amphitrite.html

https://mythologysource.com/amphitrite-greek-goddess-sea/

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Written by Abhijeet Modi

Master of Computer Science

Abhijeet Modi picture

Abhijeet ModiMaster of Computer Science

An experienced and innovative entrepreneur and creative writer, Abhijeet holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Computer Application from Birla Institute of Technology, Jaipur. He co-founded an e-commerce website while developing his skills in content writing, making him an expert in creating blog posts, website content, product descriptions, landing pages, and editing articles. Passionate about pushing his limits, Abhijeet brings both technical expertise and creative flair to his work.

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