Ares
Ares is a Greek god of war. He is the son of Zeus and Hera, and is also regarded as one of the Twelve Gods, the major deities of the Greek pantheon. His Roman equivalent is Mars.
Influence
5th century BCE
The Followers of Ares worshipped the god, and devoted multiple locations to him, including a cave on the island of Keos.[1]
On the island of Naxos, a bronze jar marked the place where Ares was allegedly held prisoner by the Aloadai, the giant twin sons of the god Poseidon and Iphimedeia, after Ares had murdered the lover of goddess Aphrodite, Adonis.[1]
Ares was also said to have killed Poseidon's son, and for this he was judged in Athens in the place that ever after was known as Ares' Rock.[1]
In stories about the Amazons, it was said that their queen Hippolyta was granted a belt by Ares, which aroused the desire for battle for each strike struck.[1] During the Peloponnesian War, an armor set inspired by and dedicated to Ares was also worn, and eventually ended up in the possession of the Spartan misthios Kassandra.[1]
Personality
It was said of Ares that he loved "war and its horror for their own sake."[2]
Trivia
- In a letter to Harpalos by another Follower of Ares, the god is given the epithets 'the Bloodstained', 'the Destroyer', 'the Stormer of Cities', and 'He Who Rallies Men'. These all come from Homer's Iliad.[3]
- In Greek mythology, Ares is regarded as the father of Eros, Anteros, Phobos, Deimos, Adrestia and Harmonia.
Gallery
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Banner of the Followers of Ares, depicting the stylized head of the god -
Statue of Ares within the Sanctuary of Olympia
Appearances
References