The Story of Pontus
Pontus was the primordial god of the sea and its deep waters. According to Hesiod, Gaia gave birth to him on her own, without a partner, in the earliest age of creation. Hesiod calls him the fruitless deep with its raging swell.
With Gaia, Pontus fathered a family of sea gods. Their children were Nereus, the wise Old Man of the Sea, Thaumas, the god of the sea's wonders, and Phorcys, along with the goddesses Ceto and Eurybia. Through them, Pontus became the ancestor of the sea nymphs, the Gorgons, the Harpies and many of the strange monsters of the deep.
Pontus had no known worship and no myths of his own. He was more a part of the world than a character, the sea itself in its oldest form. Later, the gods of the sea who had real stories, like Poseidon and Nereus, took his place in the imagination of the Greeks.
Pontus's Family Tree
Parents of Pontus
Partners of Pontus
Frequently Asked Questions About Pontus
Who is Pontus in Greek mythology?
Pontus is the primordial god of the sea and the deep waters.
Who are Pontus's parents?
Gaia gave birth to Pontus on her own, without a partner.
Who are Pontus's children?
With Gaia, Pontus fathered the sea gods Nereus, Thaumas and Phorcys, and the goddesses Ceto and Eurybia.
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