Pinarus (mythology)

In Greek mythology, Pinarus is a river god associated with the Pinarus River (modern Payas River) in Cilicia (modern-day Turkey). He is generally considered to be a son of Oceanus and Tethys, making him one of the many Potamoi, or river gods.

The Pinarus River is best known historically as the site of the Battle of Issus in 333 BC, where Alexander the Great defeated Darius III of Persia. While Pinarus himself did not participate in the battle (as far as surviving accounts tell us), the river served as a geographical landmark and played a tactical role in the conflict.

Very little specific mythology or individual stories are attached directly to the god Pinarus beyond his personification of the river. He appears primarily in contexts that describe the geography of Cilicia and accounts of the Battle of Issus. The river's course and its strategic importance were likely more significant than any developed mythology surrounding its deity.