Temple of Poseidon

One of the three major gods of Greece, Poseidon had dominion over the sea and lesser waters. He was crucial to sailors and traders, and could not be ignored by anyone in Greece. He was also the master of earthquakes, and could bring ruin in an instant. Given the number of earthquakes in Greece and the surrounding islands, Poseidon was a god to respect and to placate as often as possible. He was, however, an unforgiving god as is shown by his hounding of Odysseus after the hero blinded Polyphemus, his Cyclops son, during his voyage home after the Trojan War. Therefore, Alexander cast a four-horse chariot into the sea before the Battle of Issus to honour Poseidon and obtain his favour.