Ares (Mars) - Greek God of War. | Greek Mythology Pantheon Greek Mythology Pantheon Greek Mythology Pantheon > Ares (Mars) – Greek God of War Ares (Mars) – Greek God of War Ares (Mars) Greek God - Art Picture by GenzoMan Ares (Mars) Greek God - Art Picture by GenzoMan Ares (Roman equivalent is Mars) was the Greek god of war. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. In Greek literature, he often represents the physical or violent and untamed aspect of war, in contrast to the armored Athena, whose functions as a goddess of intelligence include military strategy and generalship. Since ancient times the people, in order to solve their differences resorted to the most painful act for humans, war. The ancient Greek mythology is dominated by two major combat operations: the ten-year Trojan War and the Argonaut’s campaign. So the Greeks coined a god, Ares, who personified this terrible scourge. He was always thirsty for blood and his main feature was the irrational rage and the lack of any courtesy. Ares belongs to the second generation of Olympians.

He was lawful son of Zeus and Hera. His love to cause wars and quarrels made him obnoxious not only to other gods but also to his father Zeus, who never missed an opportunity to attack him and call him a "stubborn head". The biggest controversy was between Ares with Athena, who was also a war goddess. But Athena was, in parallel, the goddess of wisdom, so she was combining power with intelligence. That's why most of the times she prevailed against bellicose Ares and was bringing him to shame. The most significant conflicts between them were made during the Trojan War. Ares (Mars) Greek God - Art Picture by Peterprime Ares (Mars) Greek God - Art Picture by Peterprime As we are informed by Homer, the brawler God had promised to his mother Hera and Athena to help the Greeks. But, seduced by the beauty of Aphrodite, he passed at a critical moment in the opposing faction. For some time, he stood by at the main hero of the Trojans, Hector, who decimated the Achaean warriors, since Achilles was missing from the battlefield.

Hera was indignant with her son who, since childhood, only caused problems, ran to Zeus and asked permission to evict Ares from the battle, injuring him. He accepted, since he was not at all fond of his son. Immediately Hera sent Athena to arrange the matter as she knew. The wise goddess wore the Kynee, the cap of her uncle Hades, which made her invisible, and jumped at once from Olympus in the Trojan plain. Then she stood on the chariot of Diomedes that started battle with Ares, without knowing of course that he was against an Olympian god. Ares first threw his bronze spear against mortal warrior, but the unseen Athena repelled it with both her hands and it fell on the ground. Ares (Mars) Greek God - Art Picture by el grimlock Ares (Mars) Greek God - Art Picture by el grimlock Then Diomedes threw his spear and Athena directed it in the side of Ares. He fell wounded on the ground and screamed with a terrible voice that panicked Greeks and Trojans, for he was like ten thousand warriors shouting together. Then he flew to Mount Olympus shrouded in thick clouds and immediately went to the palace of Zeus.

He showed him his wound and while weeping, he started complaining: “Father Zeus, you see the injustices take place, but you are not mad. All gods always do your will and obey your orders. But you can not see Athena who always makes her own. You never argue with her since you gave birth to her by yourself. And now, she puts a mortal to hit me with his spear and ridicule me!” The father of gods and men, furious with his son, responded with insulting words. Ares (Mars) Greek God - Art Picture by TaekwondoNJ Ares (Mars) Greek God - Art Picture by TaekwondoNJ “Are you not ashamed to come before me whining? Know that I hate you, because you always like wars, fights and quarrels. You are a stubborn head exactly like your mother Hera. Know that if your father was any other, he would have thrown you in Tartarus, even more below than the Titans.” Although Zeus used insulting words, Ares was his son was and he could not bear to see him hurt and crying. So Zeus instructed Paionian, doctor of the gods to heal his wound.

But in the final battle of the Trojan War all the gods, with the permission of Zeus, ran fully armored in the battlefield. In the Greek camp joined Hera, Athena, Poseidon and the divine blacksmith Hephaestus. Beside the Trojans arrived dreadful Ares, master archer Artemis, long-haired Phoebus, Leto, the smiling Aphrodite and the river Xanthus. Ares, who was embittered with Athena, because she always embarrassed him in front of the Olympians, charged with the first opportunity towards her and started talking with bad words: Ares (Mars) Greek God - Art Picture by SteveArgyle “Shameless bitch, with your ego and insolence you have caused a lot of trouble to the gods!” Then he threw his spear at aegis of Athena that even the thunder of Zeus could not pierce. The goddess shook and took two or three steps backwards. Without losing her courage, grabbed a huge rock that people had set up for border and hurled it the bellicose god. The rock struck Ares on the neck, forcing him to bend on his knees and fall down. His huge body spread seven square kilometers as he fell on the ground.

His knees bled and his hair was filled with soils. All the gods started to laugh when they saw the god of war lying on the ground, who once again was ridiculed by Athena. Only Aphrodite ran to him, helped him get up and grabbing him by the hand raised him to Olympus. Ares (Mars) Greek God in attack stance - Art Picture Ares (Mars) Greek God in attack stance - Art Picture Ares also had several differences with the famous hero Heracles (Hercules), who was enjoying the protection of Athena. Once, the Swan, son of warlike god and Pelopeias, wanted to build a temple from the skulls of men, in honor of his father. Therefore he was killing every passerby. So he tried to do the same thing with Heracles. Ares rushed alongside his son and forced the hero to withdraw. But then Heracles returned and killed the Swan. For this event there are several variations. So, one myth tells that Swan agreed with Ares to kill Heracles. During the conflict the hero killed the Swan and the wounded immortal god in the thigh. Another poet tells that the Swan was the son of Ares and Pyrinis and challenged Heracles to a duel.

The god wanted to help his son and tried to burn the opponent. But Zeus, who was the father of the hero, threw a thunder between them and separated them. Another son of Ares that had differences with Heracles was Diomedes of Thrace. Ares (Mars) Greek God in the sky - Art Picture Ares (Mars) Greek God in the sky - Art Picture This country was barbaric and Ares had many relationships with her. It is said that there was his second palace and lived there for a long period of time. This son had mares that were feeding with human flesh. Heracles grabbed them the led them to the sea. Diomedes persecuted the hero, but eventually was killed by his arrows. Still, they say, that Ares had brought up the Stymphalian Birds, predatory vultures fed with human flesh. These birds were killed by Heracles, while performing one of the twelve labors that Eurystheus had assigned to him. This feat took place with the help of Athena, who gave him the cymbals of Hephaestus.

Ares (Mars) Greek God - Art Picture by deimoscomics Ares (Mars) Greek God - Art Picture by deimoscomics But Ares, in the war with the Giants, where he ought to have a leading role, did not perform particularly well, as opposed to Athena and Heracles, who even then was still mortal. From what Hesiod tells us he killed only one Giant, named Milantas. Nevertheless, from the generation of the Giants, Ares had experienced another terrible humiliation. The Aloades Giants, Otos and Ephialtes, took him prisoner. This happened either when the Giants were attempting to climb up Mount Olympus, placing one mountain on top of another, either during the execution of the task entrusted to them by Aphrodite, namely to guard Adonis. Ares (Mars) Greek God - Art Picture by rudyao Ares (Mars) Greek God - Art Picture by rudyao For one reason or another, the Aloades kept their prisoner into a large copper bottle for thirteen months. And he would stay even longer if the secret had not escaped from Erivoias’s mouth, stepmother of Giants. When Hermes heard about it, he ran to release him.

Ares did not dare to appear in front of the immortals, he knew that he would have to deal with the reprimand of his father, but also with the laughs and jokes of the other gods and especially Athena’s. So he ran and hid in the rocks of Naxos. Ares once mated with Agrafi, the daughter of Cecrops, and acquired Alkippi. But Alirrothios, son of Poseidon and the Nymph Evritis, was dazzled by her beauty. As the daughter resisted his erotic call, Alirrothios raped her. Ares, in order to avenge the dishonor of his daughter, killed him. Neptune called an emergency court of gods to judge him guilty of murder. The court session was on a hill near the Acropolis. There the gods decided the acquittal of Ares. Ares (Mars) Greek God - Art Picture by konnee Ares (Mars) Greek God - Art Picture by konnee The hill was named Areopagus (Rock of Ares) and since then it was decided that all criminal cases would be judged there. Others say that the Amazons, the famous warriors, were the daughters of Ares.

Once they occupied Athens in the years that Theseus was King, they offered sacrifice to their father on the hill, who since then was named Ares. Ares held an important role in the myth of Cadmus, the founder of Thebes. More specifically, Cadmus killed a dragon that was the son of the Olympian god and the Nymph Telphousa. For this reason, the hero was forced to serve Ares as slave for a year. By order of the god, Cadmus sowed half the dragon's teeth in a plowed field and the earth grew fierce warriors named Spartoi. With a clever plan of Cadmus, they killed each other and only five survived, who were the first citizens of Thebes. Ares (Mars) Greek God fighting monsters - Art Picture Ares (Mars) Greek God fighting monsters - Art Picture Later, Ares was reconciled with Cadmus and gave him Harmony as his wife, Are’s daughter by Aphrodite. All Olympian gods attended the marriage of the goddess with the mortal hero. Apollo and the Muses sang beautiful hymns and Hephaestus gave the bride a beautiful silk veil and a golden necklace.

The most famous love affair of Ares is his illicit affair with Aphrodite. She was the lawful wife of Hephaestus. When Aphrodite saw the body workout of Ares and his beautiful face, she was unable to resist the call of love. This infidelity was perceived by Helios, who revealed the details of this incident to the divine blacksmith Hephaestus. In order to catch them in the act, he put in his bed magically nets and pretended he was leaving for a trip to Lemnos. The god of war, moments after he saw him leaving, ran to his palace and met Aphrodite. The two lovers, when they lied down in bed, were caught in the magic nets. Soon, Hephaestus appeared and alerted all the gods. They began to laugh when they saw the trapped lovers. Once Hephaestus freed them after the intervention of Neptune, Aphrodite took refuge in the temple of Paphos and Ares in Thrace.

Ares (Mars) Greek God - Art Picture by jarling art Ares (Mars) Greek God - Art Picture by jarling art Except his daughter Harmony, Ares had two sons, Deimos (Terror) and Phobos (Fear), from his relationship with Aphrodite. They were inseparable companions and servants of Ares. They followed him in all the battlefields and the ancient Greeks worshiped them along with the god of war. They offered sacrifices before the start of the battle, to chase away the fear from their line up and scatter it to their opponents. Additionally, Ares copulated with the Bride Arpina and acquired Oinomaos. Oinomaos had a very beautiful daughter, Hippodamia. He did not want her to get married because he was also in love with her. Ares (Mars) Greek God - Art Picture by rhinoting Ares (Mars) Greek God - Art Picture by rhinoting For this reason, he was inviting the aspiring grooms to a chariot race. He had two horses in his chariot, gift of his father, who ran faster than the wind. So he was winning every time and then was killing the prospective grooms.

Only Pelops managed to beat him, with the advice of Hippodamia, which she fell in love with him. Also, Meleager was the son of Ares from Althea, wife of Eneas. She managed to save her son at the last moment, hiding the torch of his fate in a box. But when Meleager, in order to defend his beloved Atalanta, killed Althea’s brothers, she threw the torch into the fire and her son died instantly. Greek God Ares (Mars) holding his shield Statue Greek God Ares (Mars) holding his shield Statue Moreover, another son of Ares was Aeropis, who with the intervention of the god managed to nurse from his dead mother. Additionally, Filonomi was seduced by the warlord god and gave birth to Lykasto, who later became king of Arcadia. In addition, with Chrysi (Golden) he acquired Ixion and Koroni. Finally, in Libya, another of his sons named also Lykastos, used to sacrifice to his father all the foreigners that were arriving in his country.

The ancient Greeks may not have liked the warlike god, so we do not often see magnificent temples and shrines, as we do with the other Olympians of the Pantheon. Greek God Ares (Mars) Statue Greek God Ares (Mars) Statue His worship was widespread mainly in the Peloponnese, Argos, Mantinea and Sparta. It was thought that Ares was present in all the battle fields, sometimes on foot, sometimes on his chariot, drawn by four horses, children of Erinya (Fury) and Voras (North). Besides Deimos and Phobos, the terrible Eris, who personified the discord, and Keres, who crossed the battlefields and was scattering destruction were also attended as his escorts. The main symbols of Ares were the spear and torch. From the animal kingdom, his symbols were the vultures that ate the corpses of slain warriors and dogs which were sacrificed in Sparta along with bulls and cocks.

Please leave a comment if you liked this article 🙂 All pictures are also uploaded in Albums on the Greek Mythology Pantheon page on Facebook, visit us at : You may also like: Profile of Mars, the Roman God of War War Gods | Roman Gods > Mars Mars (Mavors or Mamers) is an old Italian fertility god who came to be known as Gradivus, the strider, and the god of war. Although usually taken to be the equivalent of the Greek war god Ares, Mars was well-liked and honored by the Romans, unlike Ares vis à vis the ancient Greeks. Mars sired Romulus and Remus , making the Romans his children. He was usually called the son of Juno and Jupiter , just as Ares was taken to be the son of Hera and Zeus. The Romans named an area beyond the walls of their city for Mars, the Campus Martius 'Field of Mars'. Within the city of Rome were temples honoring the god. Throwing open the gates of his temple symbolized war. On 1 March (the month named for Mars), Romans honored both Mars and the New Year with special rites (feriae Martis).

This was the beginning of the Roman year from the period of kings through most of the Roman Republic. Other festivals to honor Mars were the second* Equirria (14 March), agonium Martiale (17 March), Quinquatrus (19 March), and Tubilustrium (23 March). continue reading below our video 10 Facts About the Titanic That You Don't Know These March festivals were probably all connected in some way with the campaign season. The special priest of Mars was the flamen Martialis. There were special flamines (the plural of flamen) for Jupiter and Quirinus, as well. Special priest-dancers, known as salii, performed war-dances in honor of the gods on the 1,9, and 23 of March. In October, the Armilustrum on 19th and the Equus on the Ides appear to have honored war (the end of the campaign season) and Mars, as well. [Source: Herbert Jennings Rose, John Scheid "Mars" The Oxford Companion to Classical Civilization. Ed. Simon Hornblower and Antony Spawforth.

Oxford University Press, 1998.] The symbols of Mars are the wolf, woodpecker, and lance. Iron is his metal. Certain personifications or goddesses accompanied him. These included a personification of war, Bellona , Discord , Fear, Dread, Panic, and Virtue, among others. Also see: Mars | Mythology Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Ares The Roman deity Mars pictured, at right, on the coin of Roman Emperor Aemilianus, in AD 253. Mars was the Roman God of War, the son of Juno and Jupiter . As the word Mars has no Indo-European derivation, it is most likely the Latinized form of the agricultural Etruscan god Maris . Initially, the Roman god of fertility and vegetation and a protector of cattle, fields and boundaries, Mars later became associated with battle and identified with the Greek god Ares . He was also a tutelary god of Rome, and as the legendary father of its founder, Romulus , it was believed that all Romans were descended of Mars.

Contents Edit Mars, unlike his Greek counterpart, Ares the god of war, was more widely worshipped than any of the other Roman gods, probably in part because his sons by the Vestal Virgin Rhea Silvia, Romulus and Remus, were said to have founded Rome; the Romans called themselves the sons of Mars. Venus , who was Mars' consort in legends borrowed from the Greek mythos, held a similar importance for them because of her relationship to Aeneas. Mars was also one of the three supreme Roman deities of the Archaic Triad, along with Jupiter and Quirinus . In his agricultural aspect, Mars presided over springtime and crops in major festivals. In his warlike aspect, Mars was offered sacrifices before combat and was said to appear on the battlefield accompanied by Bellona, a warrior goddess variously identified as his wife, sister, daughter or cousin. Mars' wife was also said to be Nerio. Mars had a succession of festivals in the months of February, March and October, as well as one on June 1. On March 1, the Feriae Marti (loosely "Festivals of Mars") was celebrated.

On February 27 and March 14, the horserace of the Equirria were held. On March 23, the Tubilustrium was celebrated by purifying weapons and war-trumpets. On October 19, the Armilustrium was celebrated in Mars' honor, and the weapons of the soldiers were purified and stored. Every five years, the Suovetaurilia was celebrated, consisting of the sacrifice of a pig, sheep and bull—Mars was one of only three Roman deities, along with Neptune and Apollo , to whom bulls could be sacrificed. Painting of Venus and Mars by Sandro Botticelli, 1483. The Campus Martius ("Field of Mars") was dedicated to Mars, and was where soldiers and athletes trained. Mars also had an altar there, the Ara Martis. In the Regia on the Roman Forum, the hastae Martiae ("lances of Mars") were kept in a small chamber. Any movement of the hastae Martiae was seen as an omen of war. If Rome was attacking, the generals moved their lances and repeated Mars vigila ("Awaken, Mars!").

Priests of Mars and Quirinus were called Salii ("jumpers"). They were referred to as jumpers because they jumped down streets and sang the Carmen Saliare. A lone priest of Mars was called a flamen Martialis. Mars was sometimes associated with Quirinus, a Sabine deity said to be the Spirit of Romulus, the founder of Rome. He was also identified with Celtic gods of war, particularly in Roman Britain, and was commonly considered not only a war-bringer, but also a peaceful protector, healer and tribal god, to the Celts. Influence Edit The Mars symbol originally represented the deity Mars. The name of the third month of the year, March, is derived from Mars via the Roman month Martius, which was considered a lucky time to go to war. The blood-red fourth planet in the Solar System, Mars, was also named after Mars; an adjective form of Mars, Martian (from Martianus), is most commonly used in reference to the planet. Another adjective form of Mars, Martial (from Martialis), is instead associated with war, as in martial law. Martial, along with another adjectival form, Martin (from Martinus), is a common name.

A more popular name derived from Mars is Mark (Italian, Marco). Gallery Mars *** Who was Mars? Mars was the Roman god of war. He was revered by the Romans as the most important god, apart from Jupiter. The most magnificent of the numerous temples built by the Romans in honour of the war god was the one erected by the Emperor Augustus in the Forum, to commemorate the downfall of the murderers of Julius Caesar. Religious festivals in honor of the god of war were generally held in the month of March which marked the start of the campaign season. He had also a festival on the Ides of October, when chariot-races took place, after which, the right-hand horse of the team which had drawn the victorious chariot, was sacrificed to him. At one time human sacrifices, prisoners of war, were offered to him but the practice was eventually discontinued. Mars, the god of war Facts about Mars The following facts and profile provides a fast overview of Mars: Mars Profile & Fact File Personality: Difficult, moody, unpopular and argumentative Appearance: Strong warrior always carried his weapons Role & Function: The function of Mars is described as being the god of war and the patron of warriors.

He was closely associated with all warlike aspects of Rome including repelling invading armies, protecting cities and crushing rebellions Status: Major God and one of the 'Dei Consentes', the Council of Gods. Symbols: The Ancile, a sacred shield, a Spear, a Burning Torch, Vulture, Dog, Woodpecker, eagle and owl Alternative Names: None Greekn Counterpart: The Greek name for this god was Ares Name of Consort: Venus Name of Mother: Juno Names of Children: His children included Eros, Anteros, Phobos, Deimos, Harmonia, and Adrestia Mythology: The god Ares features in the stories, myths and legends in Greek Mythology relating to the Giant Echidnades & the War with the Titans, the War of the Giants and the the Flight from Typhoeus Mars in Roman Mythology - Legend of the Ancile Mars, the Roman god of war, featured in the stories, myths and legends in Roman Mythology. One of the symbols of Mars was the Ancile which was buckler shield which, according to Roman mythology fell from heaven and landed upon Numa Pompilius the legendary second king of Rome who succeeded Romulus.

According to legend when the buckler shield fell to earth a voice was heard which declared that Rome should be mistress of the world while the magical shield was preserved. Picture of an ancient Buckler shield Facts about Mars in Roman Mythology and History Discover interesting information and facts about Mars, the Roman god of war. The facts about Mars provides a list detailing fascinating additional info to increase your knowledge about Mars in Roman Mythology. History and Mythical Facts about Mars Fact 1 about Mars: Tuesday, named after the German god Tiu, who was closely identified with Mars Fact 2 about Mars: The word 'martial' meaning "warlike," is taken from the Latin word 'martialis' meaning "of Mars or war" Fact 3 about Mars: His most famous symbols were the vulture, a wolf and he often carried a bloody spear Fact 4 about Mars: The Roman festival to the god of war was called Tubilustrium and was held in his honor on March 23, which marked the start of the campaign season Fact 5 about Mars: The Tubilustrium was a ceremony involving the sacrifice of a ewe lamb, to make the army fit for war.

It was held in Rome in a building called the Hall of the Shoemakers (atrium sutorium) Fact 6 about Mars: His special warlike festivals were held in March and called the Feriae Marti Fact 7 about Mars: The priests of the war god were called the Salii who wore the full war-dress (trabea and tunica picta) and were was first instituted by Numa Pompilius. The Salii were always chosen from the noblest families in Rome Fact 8 about Mars: The Salii, who were twelve in number, began the festival carrying his sacred shields called the ancilia or ancile round the town from one ordained resting-place to another accompanied by war trumpets. Fact 9 about Mars: His altar was in the Campus Martius, outside the city-walls of Rome and horse races were celebrated in his honor. The races of the war-horse were called Equirria and held on on March 14 and February 27. The great race was run on the Ides of October.

Fact 10 about Mars: The Romans looked upon him as their special protector, and declared him to have been the father of Romulus and Remus, the founders of their city. Fact 11 about Mars: A battle goddess called Bellona was usually depicted accompanying Mars wearing full armor bearing a scourge in one hand, and a lance in the other. A temple was erected to Bellona on the Campus Martius. Before the entrance to her temple stood a pillar, over which a spear was thrown when war was publicly declared. Mars in Roman Mythology - Fire-Breathing Stallions The symbols of Mars were his bronze armor and his spear. The armor and weapons represent his role as the god of war and battles. He is depicted as a powerful, strong, god who rode a chariot drawn by four gold-bridled fire-breathing stallions who were called: Aithon meaning Red-Fire The Children of Mars in Roman Mythology The children of Mars included: Phobos God Of Fear Harmonia Goddess Of Harmony Drakon Of Thebes 'Drakon of Thebes' was a dragon that guarded the famous Ismenian spring and stream of Thebes.

Armed warriors sprang from its teeth when they were mowed into the ground. The Dragon in ancient Mythology was also referred to as a serpent and represented in the following picture of a dragon with the tail of a serpent. Mars (Greek Counterpart was Ares) The Romans habitually assimilated various elements from other cultures and civilisations, including the gods and goddesses that were worshipped by the Greeks and other nations. When the Roman Empire conquered the Greeks in 146BC many of the Greek gods and goddesses were adopted by the Romans. The Romans simply changed the Greek gods names to Latin equivalents. The Greek counterpart of Mars was Ares. The Roman religion significantly differed from the Greeks in that it was officially endorsed by the state and exerted influence over the government of Rome. Politicians took the offices of influential priests, called pontiffs, to gain control of the popular worship, Roman gods and goddesses like Mars were worshipped at every public event, including the gladiatorial games, where blood sacrifices were made to the gods. In ancient Rome, the pantheon of 12 major gods, including Mars, were called the 'Dei Consentes' meaning the Council of Gods.

Mars and the Roman Gods Family Tree and Genealogy The Roman gods family tree provides an instant overview of the genealogy and the family connections and relationships between the main deities, including Mars, who feature in the legends and mythology of the ancient Romans. The Primeval gods and deities, the Titans and the Roman Olympians. Mars Interesting information and Facts about the Roman god Mars Mars, the Roman god of war Stories and Legends in Roman Mythology associated with Mars Facts and information about the Gods and Deities of the Ancient World for schools and kids Mars, the Roman god of war Mars Mars by Micha F. Lindemans The god of war, and one of the most prominent and worshipped gods. In early Roman history he was a god of spring, growth in nature, and fertility, and the protector of cattle. Mars is also mentioned as a chthonic god (earth-god) and this could explain why he became a god of death and finally a god of war. He is the son of Jupiter and Juno . According to some sources, Mars is the father of Romulus and Remus by the Vestal Ilia ( Rhea Silvia ).

Because he was the father of these legendary founders of Rome, and thus of the Roman people, the Romans styled themselves 'sons of Mars'. His main sanctuaries where the temple on the Capitol, which he shared with Jupiter and Quirinus, the temple of Mars Gradivus ("he who precedes the army in battle") where the Roman army gathered before they went to war, and the temple of Mars Ultor ("the avenger"), located on the Forum Augustus. The Campus Martius ("field of Mars"), situated beyond the city walls, was also dedicated to him. Here the army was drilled and athletes were trained. In the Regia on the Forum Romanum, the 'hastae Martiae' ("lances of Mars") were kept. When these lances 'moved', it was seen as a portent of war. The warlord who was to lead the army into battle had to move the lances while saying 'Mars vigila' ("Mars awaken"). As Mars Gradivus, the god preceded the army and led them to victory. He had several festivals in his honor. On March 1, the Feriae Marti was celebrated.

The Armilustrium was held on October 19, and on this day the weapons of the soldiers were ritually purified and stored for winter. Every five years the Suovetaurilia was held. During these fertility and cleansing rites, a pig (sus), a sheep (ovis) and bull (taurus) were sacrificed. The Equirria were on February 27 and March 14, on which horse races were held. The Quinquatrus was on March 19 and the Tubilustrium on March 23, on which weapons and war-trumpets were cleansed. The priests of Mars, who also served Quirinus, were called the Salii ("jumpers"), derived from the procession through the streets of the city which they completed by jumping the entire way and singing the Carmen Saliare. Mars' own priest was called the flamen Martialis. Mars is portrayed as a warrior in full battle armor, wearing a crested helmet and bearing a shield. His sacred animals are the wolf and the woodpecker, and he is accompanied by Fuga and Timor, the personifications of flight and fear.

The month March (Martius) is named after him (wars were often started or renewed in spring). His Greek equivalent is the god Ares . Article details: Mars (mythology) | Religion-wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia [ show ] Birth Although Ares was the son of Zeus and Hera , [5] Mars was the son of Juno alone. Jupiter had usurped the mother's function when he gave birth to Minerva directly from his forehead (or mind); to restore the balance, Juno sought the advice of the goddess Flora on how to do the same. Flora obtained a magic flower ( Latin flos, plural flores, a masculine word) and tested it on a heifer who became fecund at once. She then plucked a flower ritually using her thumb, touched Juno's belly, and impregnated her. Juno withdrew to Thrace and the shore of Marmara for the birth. Ovid tells this story in the Fasti, his long-form poetic work on the Roman calendar.

[6] It may explain why the Matronalia, a festival celebrated by married women in honor of Juno as a goddess of childbirth, occurred on the first day of Mars' month, which is also marked on a calendar from late antiquity as the birthday of Mars. In the earliest Roman calendar, March was the first month, and the god would have been born with the new year. [7] Ovid is the only source for the story. He may be presenting a literary myth of his own invention, or an otherwise unknown archaic Italic tradition; either way, in choosing to include the story, he emphasizes that Mars was connected to plant life and was not alienated from female nurture. [8] Consort The consort of Mars was Nerio or Nerine, "Valour." She represents the vital force (vis), power (potentia) and majesty (maiestas) of Mars. [9] Her name was regarded as Sabine in origin and is equivalent to Latin virtus, "manly virtue" (from vir, "man"). [10] In the early 3rd century BCE, the comic playwright Plautus has a reference to Mars greeting Nerio, his wife.

[11] A source from late antiquity says that Mars and Nerine were celebrated together at a festival held on March 23. [12] In the later Roman Empire, Nerine came to be identified with Minerva . [13] Nerio probably originates as a divine personification of Mars' power, as such abstractions in Latin are generally feminine. Her name appears with that of Mars in an archaic prayer invoking a series of abstract qualities, each paired with the name of a deity. The influence of Greek mythology and its anthropomorphic gods may have caused Roman writers to treat these pairs as "marriages." [14] St. Augustine disapprovingly gives Mars and the war goddess Bellona as an example of a divine couple who were also sister and brother. [15] Essential nature 15th century depiction of Mars exciting men to war. Virility as a kind of life force (vis) or virtue (virtus) is an essential characteristic of Mars. [16] As an agricultural god, he directs his energies toward creating conditions that allow crops to grow, which may include warding off hostile forces of nature.

[17] As an embodiment of masculine aggression, he is the force that drives wars — but ideally, war that delivers a secure peace. The priesthood of the Arval Brothers called on Mars to drive off "rust" (lues), with its double meaning of wheat fungus and the red oxides that affect metal, a threat to both iron farm implements and weaponry. In the surviving text of their hymn, the Arval Brothers invoked Mars as ferus, "savage" or "feral" like a wild animal. [18] Mars' potential for savagery is expressed in his obscure connections to the wild woodlands, and he may even have originated as a god of the wild, beyond the boundaries set by humans, and thus a force to be propitiated. [19] In his book on farming, Cato invokes Mars Silvanus for a ritual to be carried out in silva, in the woods, an uncultivated place that if not held within bounds can threaten to overtake the fields needed for crops.

[20] Mars' character as an agricultural god may derive solely from his role as a defender and protector, [21] or may be inseparable from his warrior nature, [22] as the leaping of his armed priests the Salii was meant to quicken the growth of crops. [23] Sacred animals The two wild animals most sacred to Mars were the woodpecker and the wolf, which in the natural lore of the Romans were said always to inhabit the same foothills and woodlands. [24] Plutarch notes that the woodpecker (picus) is sacred to Mars because "it is a courageous and spirited bird and has a beak so strong that it can overturn oaks by pecking them until it has reached the inmost part of the tree." [25] As the beak of the picus Martius contained the god's power to ward off harm, it was carried as a magic charm to prevent bee stings and leech bites.

[26] The bird of Mars also guarded a woodland herb (paeonia) used for treatment of the digestive or female reproductive systems; those who sought to harvest it were advised to do so by night, lest the woodpecker jab out their eyes. [27] The picus Martius seems to have been a particular species, but authorities differ on which one: perhaps Picus viridis [28] or Dryocopus martius. [29] The woodpecker was revered by the Latin peoples, who abstained from eating its flesh. [30] It was one of the most important birds in Roman and Italic augury, the practice of reading the will of the gods through watching the sky for signs. [31] The mythological figure named Picus had powers of augury that he retained when he was transformed into a woodpecker; in one tradition, Picus was the son of Mars. [32] The Umbrian cognate peiqu also means "woodpecker," and the Italic Picenes were supposed to have derived their name from the picus who served as their guide animal during a ritual migration undertaken as a rite of Mars.

[33] In the territory of the Aequi, another Italic people, Mars had an oracle of great antiquity where the prophecies were supposed to be spoken by a woodpecker perched on a wooden column. [34] Mars' association with the wolf is familiar from what may be the most famous of Roman myths , the story of how a she-wolf (lupa) suckled his infant sons when they were exposed by order of their human uncle, who feared that they would take back the kingship he had usurped. [35] A lesser-known part of the story is that the woodpecker also brought nourishment to the twins. [36] The wolf appears elsewhere in Roman art and literature in masculine form as the animal of Mars. A statue group that stood along the Appian Way showed Mars in the company of wolves. [37] At the Battle of Sentinum in 295 BCE, the appearance of the wolf of Mars (Martius lupus) was a sign that Roman victory was to come. [38] In Roman Gaul, the goose was associated with the Celtic forms of Mars, and archaeologists have found geese buried alongside warriors in graves.

The goose was considered a bellicose animal because it is easily provoked to aggression. [39] Sacrificial animals Ancient Greek and Roman religion distinguished between animals that were sacred to a deity and those that were prescribed as the correct sacrificial offerings for the god. Wild animals might be viewed as already belonging to the god to whom they were sacred, or at least not owned by human beings and therefore not theirs to give. Since sacrificial meat was eaten at a banquet after the gods received their portion — mainly the entrails (exta) — it follows that the animals sacrificed were most often, though not always, domestic animals normally part of the Roman diet. [40] Most gods received castrated male animals as sacrifices, and the goddesses female victims; Mars, however, was one of the few male deities who regularly received intact males. [41] Mars did receive oxen under a few of his cult titles (see Mars Grabovius below), but the usual offering was the bull, singly or in multiples.

The two most distinctive animal sacrifices made to Mars were the suovetaurilia, for which a pig (sus), ram (ovis) and bull (taurus) were the victims, [42] and the October Horse, the only horse sacrifice known to have been carried out in ancient Rome and a rare instance of an inedible victim. [43] Iconography 4th century CE statue of Mars, found in the English city of York and now on display in the city's Yorkshire Museum. In Roman art, Mars is depicted as either bearded and mature or young and clean-shaven. Even nude or seminude, he often wears a helmet or carries a spear as emblems of his warrior nature. On the Augustan Altar of Peace (Ara Pacis), built in the last years of the 1st century BCE, Mars is a mature man with a "handsome, classicizing" face, and a short curly beard and moustache. His helmet is a plumed neo-Attic-type. He wears a military cloak (paludamentum) and a cuirass ornamented with a gorgoneion.

Although the relief is somewhat damaged at this spot, he appears to hold a spear garlanded in laurel, symbolizing a peace that is won by military victory. In this guise, Mars is presented as the dignified ancestor of the Roman people. The panel of the Ara Pacis on which he appears would have faced the Campus Martius, reminding viewers that Mars was the god whose altar Numa established there, that is, the god of Rome's oldest civic and military institutions. [44] Particularly in works of art influenced by the Greek tradition, Mars may be portrayed in a manner that resembles Ares , youthful, beardless, and often nude. [45] The spear of Mars The spear is the instrument of Mars in the same way that Jupiter wields the lightning bolt, Neptune the trident, and Saturn the scythe or sickle. [46] A relic or fetish called the spear of Mars [47] was kept in the Regia, the former residence of the Kings of Rome. [48] When Mars is pictured as a peace-bringer, his spear is wreathed with laurel or other vegetation, as on the Ara Pacis or a coin of Aemilianus.

[49] Names and epithets Late 15th century Italian depiction of Mars. The word Mārs (genitive Mārtis), [50] which in Old Latin and poetic usage also appears as Māvors (Māvortis), [51] is cognate with Oscan Māmers (Māmertos). [52] The Old Latin form was believed to derive from an Italic *Māworts, however this name is from Etruscan Maris, originally a god of vegetation and not of war. Adjective forms are martius and martialis, from which derive English "martial" (as in "martial arts" or "martial law") and personal names such as "Martin". The Campus Martius bore his name. Mars also gave his name to the third month in the Roman calendar, Martius, from which English "March" derives. In the most ancient Roman calendar, Martius was the first month.

In many languages Tuesday [53] is named for the planet Mars or the God of War, in Latin Martis Dies (Mars' Day), surviving in Romance languages as Martes (Spanish), Mardi (French), Martedi ( Italian ), Marţi (Romanian), and Dimarts (Catalan), compare An Mháirt (Irish/Gaelic). In Roman religion Mars received cult within the traditional religion of Rome under several specific manifestations. Mars Gradivus Gradivus was one of the gods by whom a general or soldiers might swear an oath to be valorous in battle. [54] His temple outside the Porta Capena was where armies gathered. The archaic priesthood of Mars Gradivus was the Salii, the "leaping priests" who danced ritually in armor as a prelude to war.

[55] His cult title is most often taken to mean "the Strider" or "the Marching God," from gradus, "step, march." [56] The poet Statius addresses him as "the most implacable of the gods," [57] but Valerius Maximus concludes his history by invoking Mars Gradivus as "author and support of the name 'Roman'": [58] Gradivus is asked — along with Capitoline Jupiter and Vesta , as the keeper of Rome's perpetual flame — to "guard, preserve, and protect" the state, the peace, and the princeps (the emperor Tiberius at the time). [59] A source from late antiquity says that the wife of Gradivus was Nereia, the daughter of Nereus, and that he loved her passionately [60] (compare Nerio above). Mars Quirinus Mars Quirinus was the protector of the Quirites ("citizens" or "civilians") as divided into curiae (citizen assemblies), whose oaths were required to make a treaty.

[61] As a guarantor of treaties, Mars Quirinus is thus a god of peace: "When he rampages, Mars is called Gradivus, but when he's at peace Quirinus." [62] The deified Romulus was identified with Mars Quirinus. In the Archaic Triad of Jupiter , Mars, and Quirinus , however, Mars and Quirinus were two separate deities, though not perhaps in origin. Each of the three had his own flamen (specialized priest), but the functions of the Flamen Martialis and Flamen Quirinalis are hard to distinguish. [63] Mars Grabovius Mars is invoked as Grabovius in the Iguvine Tables, bronze tablets written in Umbrian that record ritual protocols for carrying out public ceremonies on behalf of the city and community of Iguvium. The same title is given to Jupiter and to the Umbrian deity Vofionus. This triad has been compared to the Archaic Triad, with Vofionus equivalent to Quirinus . [64] Tables I and VI describe a complex ritual that took place at the three gates of the city.

After the auspices were taken, two groups of three victims were sacrificed at each gate. Mars Grabovius received three oxen. [65] Mars Pater "Father Mars" or "Mars the Father" is the form in which the god is invoked in the agricultural prayer of Cato, [66] and he appears with this title in several other literary texts and inscriptions. [67] Mars Pater is among the several gods invoked in the ritual of devotio, by means of which a general sacrificed himself and the lives of the enemy to secure a Roman victory. [68] Father Mars is the regular recipient of the suovetaurilia, the sacrifice of a pig (sus), ram (ovis) and bull (taurus), or often a bull alone. [69] To Mars Pater other epithets were sometimes appended, such as Mars Pater Victor ("Father Mars the Victorious"), [70] to whom the Roman army sacrificed a bull on March 1.

[71] Although pater and mater were fairly common as honorifics for a deity, [72] any special claim for Mars as father of the Roman people lies in the mythic geneaology that makes him the divine father of Romulus and Remus. [73] Mars Silvanus In the section of his farming book that offers recipes and medical preparations, Cato describes a votum to promote the health of cattle: Make an offering to Mars Silvanus in the forest (in silva) during the daytime for each head of cattle: 3 pounds of meal, 4½ pounds of bacon , 4½ pounds of meat, and 3 pints of wine. You may place the viands in one vessel, and the wine likewise in one vessel. Either a slave or a free man may make this offering. After the ceremony is over, consume the offering on the spot at once. A woman may not take part in this offering or see how it is performed. You may vow the vow every year if you wish. [74] That Mars Silvanus is a single entity has been doubted.

Invocations of deities are often list-like, without connecting words, and the phrase should perhaps be understood as "Mars and Silvanus". [75] Women were explicitly excluded from some cult practices of Silvanus, but not necessarily of Mars. [76] William Warde Fowler, however, thought that the wild god of the wood Silvanus may have been "an emanation or offshoot" of Mars. [77] Mars Ultor Augustus created the cult of "Mars the Avenger" to mark two occasions: his defeat of the assassins of Caesar at Philippi in 42 BCE, and the negotiated return of the Roman battle standards that had been lost to the Parthians at the Battle of Carrhae in 53 BCE. The god is depicted wearing a cuirass and helmet and standing in a "martial pose," leaning on a lance he holds in his right hand. He holds a shield in his left hand.

[78] A great temple of Mars Ultor was dedicated in the center of the Forum of Augustus in 2 BCE, giving the god a new place of honor in the heart of the city when he had formerly been most associated with the Campus Martius outside the pomerium (sacred boundary). [79] Some rituals previously conducted within the cult of the Capitoline Jupiter were transferred to the new Temple of Mars Ultor, [80] which became the point of departure for magistrates as they left for military campaigns abroad. [81] On various Imperial holidays, Mars Ultor was the first god to receive a sacrifice, followed by the Genius of the emperor. [82] An inscription from the 2nd century records continued devotion to Mars Ultor, with a vow to offer him a bull with gilded horns. [83] Mars Augustus Augustus was appended far and wide, "on monuments great and small," [84] to the name of gods or goddesses (as Augusta), including Mars.

The title may have been an honorific for the deity for the same reasons that it became the title for the former Octavian, but while it honored the deity as the source of the emperor's power and legitimacy, it may also have allowed the viewer to infer that the deity and the emperor were one. [85] In Roman Spain (Hispania), many of the statues and dedications to Mars Augustus were presented by members of the priesthood called the Augustales. [86] These vows (vota) were usually fulfilled within a sanctuary that functioned as a center for Imperial cult, or in a temple or precinct (templum) consecrated specifically to Mars. [87] As with other deities invoked as Augustus/-a, altars to Mars Augustus might be set up to further the wellbeing (salus) of the emperor, [88] but an inscription in the Alps records the gratitude of a slave who dedicated a statue to Mars Augustus for restoring his own health.

[89] Mars Augustus appears in inscriptions at such locations as Baetica, Saguntum, [90] and Emerita ( Lusitania ) in Roman Spain; [91] Lepcis Magna (with a date of 6–7 CE) in present-day Libya; [92] and Sarmizegetusa in the province of Dacia. [93] Provincial epithets Mars Vanquishing Ignorance, 1605 oil painting by Antoon Claeissens. In addition to his cult titles at Rome, Mars appears in a large number of inscriptions in the provinces of the Roman Empire, and more rarely in literary texts, identified with a local deity by means of an epithet. Mars appears with great frequency in Gaul among the Continental Celts, as well as in Roman Spain and Britain. In Celtic settings, he is often invoked as a healer. [94] The inscriptions indicate that Mars' ability to dispel the enemy on the battlefield was transferred to the sick person's struggle against illness; healing is expressed in terms of warding off and rescue.

[95] Mars Alator, a fusion of Mars with the Celtic deity Alator (possibly meaning "Huntsman" or "Cherisher"), known from an inscription found in England , on an altar at South Shields and a silver-gilt votive plaque at Barkway, Hertfordshire. [96] [97] Mars Albiorix, a fusion of Mars with the ancient Celtic deity Toutatis, using the epithet Albiorix ("King of the World"). Mars Albiorix was worshiped as protector of the Albici (or Albioeci) tribe of southern France, and was regarded as a mountain god. Another epithet of Toutatis, Caturix ("King of Combat"), was used in the combination Mars Caturix, which was worshipped in Gaul, possibly as the tribal god of the Caturiges. [98] "Mars Balearicus", a name used in modern scholarship for small bronze warrior figures from Mallorca (one of the Balearic Islands) and interpreted as representing the local Mars cult. [99] These have been found within talayotic sanctuaries with extensive evidence of burnt offerings.

"Mars" is fashioned as a lean, athletic nude lifting a lance and wearing a helmet, often conical; the genitals are perhaps semi-erect. Other bronzes at the sites represent the heads or horns of bulls, but the bones in the ash layers indicate that sheep, goats, and pigs were the sacrificial victims. Bronze horse-hooves were found in one sanctuary, and an imported statue of Imhotep , the legendary Egyptian physician, in another. The sacred precincts, which were still in active use when the Roman occupation began in 123 BCE, may have been astronomically oriented toward the rising or setting of the constellation Centaurus. [100] Mars Barrex, from Barrex or Barrecis (probably meaning "Supreme One"), a Celtic god known only from a dedicatory inscription found at Carlisle, England . [97] Mars Belatucadrus, an epithet found in five inscriptions in the area of Hadrian's Wall in England, which equates the Celtic deity Belatu-Cadros with Mars. Mars Braciaca, a synthesis of Mars with the Celtic god Braciaca. This deity is only known from a single inscription at Bakewell, England.

[97] Mars Camulos, from the Celtic war god Camulus. Mars Capriociegus, from an Celtic god who was linked to Mars. He is invoked in two inscriptions in the Pontevedra region of north-west Spain . Mars Cocidius. The Celtic hunter god Cocidius was equated with both Mars and Silvanus. [101] He is referenced around north-west Cumbria and Hadrian's Wall, and was chiefly a war god only in instances where he was equated with Mars. Mars Condatis, from the Celtic god of the confluence of rivers, Condatis. Mars Condatis, who oversaw water and healing, is known from inscriptions near Hadrian's Wall, at Piercebridge, Bowes and Chester-le-Street. [97] [102] Mars Corotiacus. A local British version of Mars from Martlesham in Suffolk. He appears on a bronze statuette as a cavalryman, armed and riding a horse which tramples a prostrate enemy beneath its hooves. [98] Mars Lenus.

Mars Lenus, sometimes founds as Lenus Mars, had a major healing cult at the capital of the Treveri (present-day Trier). Among the votives are images of children offering doves. [103] His consort was Ancamna. Mars Loucetius. The Celtic god Loucetios, Latinized as -ius, appears in nine inscriptions in present-day Germany and France and one in Britain, and in three as Leucetius. The Gaulish and Brythonic theonyms likely derive from Proto-Celtic *louk(k)et-, "bright, shining, flashing," hence also "lightning," [104] alluding to either a Celtic commonplace metaphor between battles and thunderstorms (Old Irish torannchless, the "thunder feat"), or the aura of a divinized hero (the lúan of Cú Chulainn). The name is given as an epithet of Mars.

The consort of Mars Loucetius is Nemetona, whose name may be understood as pertaining either to "sacred privilege" or to the sacred grove (nemeton), [105] and who is also identified with the goddess Victory. At the Romano-British site in Bath, a dedication to Mars Loucetius as part of this divine couple was made by a pilgrim from the continental Treveri of Gallia Belgica, who sought healing. [106] Mars Mullo. The Celtic god Mullo ("mule") was invoked with Mars in northwest Gaul. [107] Mars Neto. A fusion of Mars and the Iberian god Neto/Neito, which may be derived from the celtic Neit. Mars Nodens. A fusion of Mars with the Celtic god Nodens. Mars Ocelus. A fusion of Mars with the Celtic god Ocelus. Mars Olloudius. A fusion of Mars with the Celtic god Olloudius. Mars Rigisamus.

Mars was given this title (which means 'Greatest King' or 'King of Kings') at West Coker in Somerset, where a bronze figurine and inscribed plaque dedicated to the god were found in a field, along with the remains of a building, perhaps a shrine. The figurine depicts a standing naked male figure with a close-fitting helmet; his right hand may have once held a weapon, and he probably originally also had a shield (both are now lost). The same epithet for a god is recorded from Bourges in Gaul. The use of this epithet implies that Mars had an extremely high status, over and above his warrior function. Mars Rigonemetis ("King of the Sacred Grove"). A dedication to Rigonemetis and the numen (spirit) of the Emperor inscribed on a stone was discovered at Nettleham (Lincolnshire) in 1961. Rigonemetis is only known from this site, and it seems he may have been a god belonging to the tribe of the Corieltauvi. [98] Mars Segomo. "Mars the Victorious" appears among the Celtic Sequani. [108] Mars Smertrius.

At a site within the territory of the Treveri, Ancamna was the consort of Mars Smertrius. [109] Mars Teutates. A fusion of Mars with the Celtic god Teutates (Toutatis). Mars Thinesus. A form of Mars invoked at Housesteads Roman Fort at Hadrian's Wall, where his name is linked with two goddesses called the Alaisiagae. Anne Ross associated Thinesus with a sculpture, also from the fort, which shows a god flanked by goddesses and accompanied by a goose – a frequent companion of war gods. [98] Mars Visucius. A fusion of Mars with the Celtic god Visucius. Mars Vorocius. A Celtic healer-god invoked at the curative spring shrine at Vichy (Allier) as a curer of eye afflictions. On images, the god is depicted as a Celtic warrior. [98] See also Venus References ↑ Mary Beard, J.A. North, and S.R.F. Price, Religons of Rome: A History (Cambridge University Press, 1998), pp. 47–48. ↑ Kurt A.

Raaflaub, War and Peace in the Ancient World (Blackwell, 2007), p. 15. ↑ Paul Rehak and John G. Younger, Imperium and Cosmos: Augustus and the Northern Campus Martius (University of Wisconsin Press, 2006), pp. 11–12. ↑ Isidore of Seville calls Mars Romanae gentis auctorem, the originator or founder of the Roman people as a gens (Etymologiae 5.33.5). ↑ Hesiod , Theogony p. 79 in the translation of Norman O. Brown (Bobbs-Merrill, 1953); 921 in the Loeb Classical Library numbering . ↑ Ovid , Fasti 5.229–260. ↑ William Warde Fowler, The Roman Festivals of the Period of the Republic (London, 1908), p. 35f., discusses this interpretation in order to question it. ↑ Carole E. Newlands, Playing with Time: Ovid and the Fasti (Cornell University Press, 1995), pp.

105–106. ↑ Aulus Gellius, Attic Nights 13.23. Gellius says the word Nerio or Nerienes is Sabine and is supposed to be the origin of the name Nero as used by the Claudian family, who were Sabine in origin. The Sabines themselves, Gellius says, thought the word was Greek in origin, from νεῦρα (neura), Latin nervi, meaning the sinews and ligaments of the limbs. ↑ Robert E.A. Palmer, The Archaic Community of the Romans (Cambridge University Press, 1970, 2009), p. 167. ↑ Plautus, Truculentus 515. ↑ 97.0 97.1 97.2 97.3 Ross, Anne (1967). Pagan Celtic Britain. Routledge & Kegan Paul. ISBN 0-902357-03-4 . ↑ 98.0 98.1 98.2 98.3 98.4 Miranda J. Green.

"Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend" (p. 142.) Thames and Hudson Ltd. 1997 ↑ G. Llompart, "Mars Balearicus," Boletín del Seminario de Estudios de Arte y Arqueología 26 (1960) 101–128; "Estatuillas de bronce de Mallorca: Mars Balearicus," in Bronces y religión romana: actas del XI Congreso Internacional de Bronces Antiguos, Madrid, mayo-junio, 1990 (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 1993), p. 57ff. ↑ Jaume García Rosselló, Joan Fornés Bisquerra, and Michael Hoskin, "Orientations of the Talayotic Sanctuaries of Mallorca," Journal of History of Astronomy, Archaeoastronomy Supplement 31 (2000), pp. 58–64 (especially note 10) pdf. ↑ Green, Animals in Celtic Life and Myth, p. 64. ↑ Jones, Barri & Mattingly, David (1990).

An Atlas of Roman Britain (p. 275). Oxford: Basil Blackwell. ISBN 1-84217-067-8 . ↑ Green, Animals in Celtic Life and Myth, p. 216. ↑ Xavier Delamarre, Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise (Éditions Errance, 2003), 2nd edition, p. 200. ↑ Gaulish nemeton was originally a sacred grove or space defined for religious purposes, and later a building: Bernhard Maier, Dictionary of Celtic Religion and Culture (Boydell Press, 1997, 2000, originally published 1994 in German), p. 207. ↑ Helmut Birkham, entry on "Loucetius," in Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia, edited by John Koch (ABC-Clio, 2006), p. 1192. ↑ Green, Animals in Celtic Life and Myth, p. 208. ↑ Lesley Adkins and Roy A.

Adkins, Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome (Facts on File, 1994, 2004), p. 297. ↑ Miranda Green, Celtic Myths (University of Texas Press, 1993, 1998), p. 42. External links Mars - Ancient History Encyclopedia Mars by Mark Cartwright published on 16 January 2014 Mars was the Roman god of war and second only to Jupiter in the Roman pantheon . Although most of the myths involving the god were borrowed from the Greek god of war Ares , Mars, nevertheless, had some features which were uniquely Roman. Considered more level-headed than the often impulsive and disruptive Ares, Mars was also seen as a more virtuous figure by the more martial-oriented Romans. As a protector of Rome and the Roman way of life and as a defender of city borders and frontiers, important festivals connected to warfare were held in his honour and the god was also closely associated with the wolf and woodpecker. Mars was considered the father of Romulus and Remus , the mythical twin founders of Rome.

According to the story, their mother, the Vestal Virgin Rhea Silvia, was raped by Mars while she slept, and in her dreams she had a vision where she dropped a hairpin to the ground, and from which there sprang two twin trees. Over time one of the trees grew so large that it covered the entire world with its shade, a reference to the ultimate success of Romulus and the growth of the huge Roman Empire . Remove Ads Advertisement The month of Martius (March) was named after the god and important festivals and ceremonies, usually connected to military campaigns were held in his honour. Another myth concerning the god of war, this one uniquely Roman, was his marriage to Anna Perenna. The story is re-told in Ovid's Fasti and begins with Mars falling in love with no less a figure than Minerva , but the virgin goddess of wisdom and crafts , wholly unimpressed, rejected his amorous advances. Wondering how he could better impress Minerva and win her favour, Mars sought the help of Anna Perenna, the aged goddess of New Year and Time.

However, Anna Perenna quite fancied the handsome war god for herself, and so she double-crossed Mars by disguising herself as Minerva and, wearing a veil, she tricked the god into marrying her. This famous episode of feminine guile was commemorated in Rome on the Ides of March (the 15th) when young girls would sing risqué songs. The month of Martius (March) was named after the god. Important festivals and ceremonies, usually connected to the preparation and closure of military campaigns, were held in honour of the god in March and October and carried out by Mars' specially dedicated priests, the flamen Martialis. These rites may also have been connected to agriculture but the nature of Mars' role in this area of Roman life is disputed by scholars. The first festival of the year was actually on the 27th of February with the first Equirria, then followed a busy March.

There was the feriae Marti festival, held on the 1st of March (the old New Year's Day), the second Equirria on the 14th, the agonium Martiale on the 17th, the Quinquatrus on the 19th (in later times Minerva would assume Mars' role), and the Tubilustrium on the 23rd of March (and again on the 23rd of May). The details of these festivals are sometimes sketchy, but most were related to war and the instruments of warfare. The Tubilustrium involved a series of rites to cleanse and favour trumpets, whilst the Equirria was to ensure all would be well with the horses when on campaign. Another important ritual was performed by the commander of the army about to depart who shook the sacred spears of the god which were kept in the Regia. The general shouted 'Mars vigilia' and, no doubt, asked for a swift and easy victory. In addition to the festivals where Mars was the central deity, he was also involved with ceremonies relating to the ancient triad of gods which included himself, Jupiter, and Quirinus.

On the 1st, 9th and 23rd of March, the priests of this sacred trio, the Salii, sang hymns and dressed themselves in bronze-age armour which included the ancient ancilia figure-of-eight shields. Mars again took centre stage during the Equus October, held on the 15th of that month. This was when a great horse race was held in the Campus Martius of Rome. No doubt the winner of the race won great honour and favour amongst the public, but the fate of one of the horses of the winning team was less fortunate, for the animal was sacrificed with the head becoming a much sought-after prize by the local residents. Finally, there was the Armilustrium festival on the 19th of October, held on the Aventine and which involved the purification of weapons before they were stored away for the winter. Mars (god) facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about Mars (god) The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable © The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable 2006, originally published by Oxford University Press 2006. Mars in Roman mythology, the god of war and the most important Roman god after Jupiter.

He was probably originally an agricultural god, and the month of March is named after him. His Greek equivalent is Ares . Legends of Mars include the story of his love for Venus, and the trap made for them by her husband Vulcan, and from early times this became a favourite subject for artists. The wolf and the woodpecker were regarded as sacred to Mars, and the field of Mars is another name for the Campus Martius of ancient Rome . The hill of Mars is the Areopagus (‘hill of Ares’) of ancient Athens . Mars is the name given to a small reddish planet which is the fourth in order from the sun and is periodically visible to the naked eye. From its distinctive colour, which comes from its iron-rich minerals, it is known informally as the red planet. In astrological belief, the influence of the planet is associated with combative, aggressive, or masculine qualities. Cite this article Mars (in Roman religion and mythology) The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright The Columbia University Press Mars, in Roman religion and mythology, god of war.

In early Roman times he was a god of agriculture, but in later religion (when he was identified with the Greek Ares ) he was primarily associated with war. Mars was the father of Romulus, the founder of the Roman nation, and, next to Jupiter, he enjoyed the highest position in Roman religion. The Salii, his priests, honored him by dancing in full armor in the Campus Martius, the site of his altar. Chariot races and the sacrifice of animals were primary features of the festivals held in his honor in March (named for him) and October. Mars was represented as an armed warrior. His attributes include the spear and shield, and the wolf and woodpecker were sacred to him. He was frequently associated with Bellona, the Roman goddess of war. Cite this article Myths and Legends of the World COPYRIGHT 2001 Macmillan Reference, USA Mars Mars was a major Roman deity, second only to Jupiter* in the Roman pantheon. He began as a protector of agriculture but later became the god of war, honored throughout the realm of the conquering Romans. The Romans admired Greek culture and absorbed Greek deities into their own.

They came to identify their own war god, Mars, with the Greek war god, Ares, but Mars was a more dignified and popular figure. According to legend, Juno, the queen of the gods, gave birth to Mars after being touched by a magic plant. He was originally associated with vegetation and fertility. As the Romans became increasingly warlike, Mars gradually developed into a god of war, but he never lost his connection with agriculture and the plant world entirely. The Romans honored him with festivals in his month, March, which occurs at a time of the year when new growth begins in the fields and military campaigns resume after a winter break. Mars's high place of honor in the Roman pantheon comes in part from his role as an ancestor of Rome . According to the story of the founding of Rome, Mars was the father of Romulus and Remus, twin boys born to a human priestess and raised by a wolf. Romulus later founded the city of Rome, and the Romans believed that Romulus's divine father would come to their aid in times of crisis or disaster. The wolf and the woodpecker, animals involved in the saving of the twins, were sacred to Mars.

Picus, a Roman god who took the form of a woodpecker, was Mars's companion. One story about Mars relates that the god's sacred shield had fallen from the sky in the time of the early Roman king Numa Pompilius. Believing that the shield was vital to the well-being of Rome, Numa had 11 identical shields made and hung all 12 of them in a shrine to confuse any thief who might try to steal Mars's shield. Numa also established an order of priests called the Salii to guard the shields. For many years, Roman priests continued to wear the old-fashioned armor and to perform ritual war dances during the March festivals of Mars. deity god or goddess

Question: Which god is the Greek equivalent of Mars?
Answer: Ares