Ares is the Greek god of war and one of the principal deities of Greek mythology. He is especially associated with the violent, chaotic and physically destructive aspects of battle.
Ares is commonly described as the son of Zeus and Hera and belongs to the central family of Olympian gods.
God of War
Ares represents the immediate violence of combat: weapons, bloodshed, rage, physical courage and the terrifying confusion of the battlefield.
This distinguishes him from Athena, whose martial sphere is more closely related to strategy, discipline and organized defense.
Ares in Homer
The Iliad portrays Ares as enormously powerful but emotionally volatile. He can enter battle directly, support favored warriors and experience injury despite his immortality.
Relationship with Aphrodite
One of the best-known myths concerning Ares is his relationship with Aphrodite. In the Odyssey, the two are caught together by a trap created by Hephaestus.
Ares and the Amazons
Several mythological traditions connect Ares with the Amazons, sometimes presenting him as an ancestor of important Amazon queens.
Ares and Thebes
Ares has important connections with Theban mythology. The dragon slain by Cadmus is associated with him, and Cadmus is later required to atone for the killing.
Worship
Ares had a real place in Greek religion, although his cult was not as dominant across the Greek world as that of Zeus, Athena or Apollo.
Different communities nevertheless possessed sanctuaries, rituals and local traditions dedicated to him.
Roman Mars
The Romans identified Ares with Mars, but the two gods were not identical in cultural importance. Mars held a much more central and prestigious position within Roman state religion.
