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In Greek mythology, Poseidon carries a three-pronged spear known as a trident, while his brother Hades carries a two-pronged spear known as a bident. For that matter, the third brother Zeus carries the lightning bolt, which is often represented as a single-pronged spear or javelin.

To the ancient Greeks, was there meant to be a connection or a comparison in these weapons? The 1-2-3 pattern seems deliberate, but in a world where everyone used spears maybe this is just like three action heroes all carrying guns, without any implied connections between them?

Nerrolken
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According to Wikipedia

The Romans drew on Etruscan traditions for the interpretation of these signs. A tile found at Urbs Salvia in Picenum depicts an unusual composite Jove, "fairly bristling with weapons": a lightning bolt, a bident, and a trident, uniting the realms of sky, earth, and sea, and representing the three degrees of ominous lightning (see also Summanus).

Christopher Klaus
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