As previously mentioned, Ara is one of the Hercules family of constellations. It comes from the Latin word for Altar, and it is thought to be named after the Altar where the Gods left gifts and peace offerings for the Titans, before later defeating them. This battle of the Titans is often referred to throughout mythology, pitting the older generation of Gods known as the Titans (Cronus, the Greek equivalent of the Roman Saturn) against his children, the Olympians (Zeus, known in Roman as Jupiter).