There are two candidates with strong cases. The name “Neptune” ( Neptunus in Latin) was derived from an Indo-European root, although which one has been a subject of dispute.

As with other Roman deities, Neptune’s importance diminished in the early centuries of the Common Era, and fell completely out of favor with the advent of Christian dominance over the Roman Empire in the fourth century. His importance increased in the second and third centuries BCE as Roman hegemony spread throughout the Mediterranean. Though he lacked political power within the Roman pantheon, Neptune still commanded the fear and respect of a people whose fortunes were intimately tied to the seas. He was not represented in either the Archaic Triad of Jupiter, Mars, and Quirinus (the deified figure of Romulus, the founder of Rome) or the Capitoline Triad of Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva.

Whereas Poseidon’s subjects treated him as a kind of second-in-command to Zeus, Neptune was never a ruling deity. Unlike Poseidon, who had been part of Greek mythology from the onset, Neptune was a later addition to the Roman pantheon. Nymphenburg Palace Gardens, Munich, Germany.

In terms of his characteristics and mythology, Neptune was an exact copy of the Greek deity Poseidon.Ī bearded Neptune holds his signature trident, a fishing tool used by ancient cultures. Also known as Neptunus Equester, he was recognized as a god of horses and horsemanship, as well as patron of horse racing, a popular form of entertainment for the ancient Romans. Neptune was the Roman god of waters and seas, who controlled winds and storms.

The son of neptune