River gods (Greek mythology)

In ancient Greek religion and mythology, rivers (Ancient Greek: ποταμοί, romanized: potamoí)^[1] were often personified as deities, and in a number of ancient Greek cities river gods were the subject of local worship. In Hesiod's Theogony, the river gods are the offspring of the Titans Oceanus and Tethys, and the brothers of the Oceanids. In Greek mythology, river deities – such as Inachus, Scamander, and Peneus – are often progenitors of local genealogical lines.^[2]

In the Iliad, there are references to sacrifices being made to river deities, including the sacrifice of ephebes' hair. During military campaigns into foreign territory, there is evidence of sacrifices having been made to rivers upon their crossing. River deities could also be invoked as witnesses to an oath.^[3]

Depictions of river deities in ancient Greek art often combine anthropomorphic features with bull-like elements such as horns.^[4]