God of war, courage and the fury of battle, Ares was the most fearsome of the Olympians – and one of the most misunderstood. Here is his story, his love for Aphrodite and the meaning of his helmet and spear.
Who is Ares?
Ares is the Greek god of war, courage, bloodlust and the raw violence of battle. Son of Zeus and Hera, he was one of the twelve Olympians. Where his half-sister Athena represented strategy and the defence of the city, Ares embodied the wild, physical force of combat. The Romans honoured him as Mars, a much more respected figure in Rome, where he was the father of Romulus and Remus and the protector of the army; the month of March and the red planet are named after him.
In art Ares is a strong warrior wearing a crested helmet and bronze armour, carrying a spear and shield. His sacred animals were the dog and the vulture, and his chariot was drawn by four fire-breathing horses. He was accompanied by his sons Phobos (fear) and Deimos (terror) – the names of the two moons of Mars – and by Eris, goddess of strife.
Ares and Aphrodite
The most famous myth of Ares is his love affair with Aphrodite, goddess of love, wife of Hephaestus. The sun god Helios saw the lovers and told Hephaestus, who forged an invisible golden net and trapped them together, inviting the gods to laugh at them. Yet the union of love and war gave birth to Harmonia, goddess of harmony, as well as to Phobos, Deimos and, in some stories, Eros. The contrast between Ares and Aphrodite – Mars and Venus – became one of the favourite subjects of Renaissance painters.
Ares at Troy
In the Trojan War, Ares fought on the side of Troy. Homer's Iliad shows him storming across the battlefield, until Athena guided the Greek hero Diomedes to wound him with a spear. The god roared like ten thousand warriors and fled to Olympus to complain to Zeus – a scene that shows the Greek preference for disciplined courage over blind fury.
The Areopagus
When Ares killed a son of Poseidon who had attacked his daughter, he was put on trial by the gods on a rocky hill in Athens. Acquitted, he gave his name to the hill – the Areopagus – which became the seat of the oldest court of Athens. In this way, the god of war is also connected with the beginnings of justice.
Ares in art and in your home
Ares and Mars represent courage, strength, determination and protection. A statue of the god of war is a powerful piece for a study, home gym, office or games room, and a fitting gift for soldiers, athletes, martial artists and anyone facing a great challenge. Look for him in full armour with helmet and spear; Roman Mars statues often show him in a commander's cuirass.
Related gods
Read the stories of his parents Zeus and Hera, his beloved Aphrodite, his rival Athena and Hephaestus. Browse all the Olympians in our Greek Mythology collection and warriors in Medieval.
