Statue of Poseidon Milos

A famous statue from the Greek island of Milos is the statue called Poseidon of Milos. Usually, Poseidon is depicted as having a beard and holding a trident in one of his hands that could cut rocks in half or cause the earth to shake. A dolphin, which is one of the sacred animals and symbols of the god, is sculptured behind his left leg. Sometimes, the dolphin or dolphins are shown pulling him in a shell chariot.

Like the Venus of Milos, it is believed that this statue was created during the Hellenistic Period. During this period, the Macedonians ruled this island until their kingdom fell apart after Alexander the Great died.
The Antigonos and Ptolemy families then took over the island. These families brought peace to Milos and allowed the trade of minerals and the arts to grow. They brought prosperity to the island as well and great art was created during this time.

Today, the statue of Poseidon is displayed in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.

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