Ares

Ares was the ancient Greek god of war and courage.

As one of the Twelve Olympians, he held a significant position in the Greek pantheon. He was the son of Zeus and Hera. While some Greeks respected his role, many felt ambivalent toward him. This means they had mixed feelings about his character. Ares represented the physical valor needed for success in combat. However, he also personified the sheer brutality and bloodlust of war. This stood in sharp contrast to his sister, Athena. While Ares focused on the physical act of fighting, Athena represented military strategy and generalship.

The name Ares likely has deep historical roots. His name shows origins in Mycenaean Greek, appearing in the Linear B script as "a-re." Some scholars, like Walter Burkert, suggest his name may have been an ancient abstract noun meaning a "throng of battle." Others, such as R. S. P. Beekes, suggest a Pre-Greek origin. His reputation for savagery might reflect his possible origins as a Thracian deity. In the Iliad, the word "ares" is even used as a common noun for battle itself. He was sometimes given the epithet Enyalios, which was used to describe a warlike aspect. In some cases, Enyalios was seen as a separate war god, but often he was treated as a "double" of Ares.

Followers of Ares used many different epithets to describe his various qualities. One epithet was "aatos polemoio," meaning insatiate at war. Others included "andreifontes," meaning man-slaying, and "mainomenos," meaning malignant. These names highlight the intense and often dark nature of his influence. Sometimes, his warlike nature was transferred to other gods through the adjective "Areios." For example, Zeus Areios or Athena Areia indicated they were taking on a warrior aspect. Even Aphrodite could be called "Aphrodite Areia," representing a warlike or armored version of the goddess.

Religious practices involving Ares varied greatly across different regions. In mainland Greece, formal temples were relatively rare. However, Pausanias noted an altar to Ares at Olympia. In parts of Asia Minor, he served as an oracular deity. Some cities held annual festivals to bind and detain him. By ritually restraining him, they hoped to keep his dangerous spirit under control. In Sparta, the cult of Ares was linked to the goddess Aphrodite on the acropolis. Some sources suggest the Spartans sacrificed a puppy to Enyalios before hand-to-hand combat. While some legends mention human sacrifice to Ares, historians believe this may be a misunderstanding of the "hekatomphonia," which was actually an animal sacrifice to Zeus.

Further away from Greece, the Scythians worshipped an indigenous form of Ares. This deity was ranked in their divine hierarchy below Tabiti, Api, and Papaios. The Scythians used an iron sword as a cult object for this god. They were said to offer blood-sacrifices of cattle, horses, and one in every hundred prisoners of war. The blood was used to douse the sword. In the Hellenistic era, oracles in Anatolia instructed cities to set up statues of a "bloody, man-slaying Ares." These cities would provide annual festivals where the statue was bound with iron fetters. This ritual was intended to turn him into a peaceful deity who would drive away enemies and bring prosperity.

In Greek mythology, Ares often played a limited or even humiliating role.

During the Trojan War, Aphrodite persuaded him to support the Trojans. Because Athena helped the Greeks, the Trojans ultimately lost. One of his most famous stories involves his affair with Aphrodite. The craftsman-god Hephaestus discovered the relationship and trapped the lovers in a net. He then exposed them to the laughter and ridicule of the other gods.

Another significant location is the Areopagus, or "Mount of Ares," in Athens. Legend says Ares was tried there by the gods after a conflict involving Poseidon's son.

Ares is closely connected to the Roman god Mars. In Roman religion, Mars held a much more important and dignified position. He was viewed as the ancestral protector of the Roman people and the state. During the Hellenization of Latin literature, Roman writers reinterpreted Ares's myths under the name of Mars. Eventually, the two figures became virtually indistinguishable in Western art and literature.

This connection shows how different cultures adapted and reshaped the ideas of war and courage through their own unique lenses.