A deep dive into Ares: the Greek myth

In ancient Greece, the Greek god Ares represented the chaotic and violent aspects of warfare and was often seen as a symbol of destruction. Born to Zeus and Hera, the king and queen of Mount Olympus, Ares faced his mother’s disdain, reportedly so great that she cursed him to be a coward, despite being the god of war. His status among the Olympians was complicated; although not as venerated as some of the other gods and goddesses, he played an essential role in the Greek pantheon.

To appreciate Ares’ character fully, one must examine his relationships with other gods, particularly his rivalry with Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war, and his romance with Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Additionally, Ares’ interactions with Aceso, the goddess of healing, Hades, the Greek god of the underworld, and Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, highlight the complexities of divinity in Greek culture and deepen our understanding of the shared themes in their stories.

Ares in Greek mythology: stories and myths

Ares, the god of war, played a significant role in Greek mythology, particularly in the Trojan War. Despite siding with the Trojans, his involvement often led to chaos and disorder.

Ares’ impulsive nature is evident in his encounters with other deities and heroes. In one instance, he rescued his half-human warrior Ascalaphus from the Greek leader Diomedes, only to be ambushed by Odysseus later.

The relationship between Ares and Aphrodite, the goddess of love, is a central theme in his mythology. Their forbidden affair resulted in several children, including:

• Deimos (terror)
• Phobos (fear)
• Harmonia

This union symbolises the intersection of love and war, revealing a more complex side to Ares’ character.

Ares’ vulnerability is highlighted in several myths. He was once captured by the giants Otus and Ephialtes for thirteen months before Hermes rescued him. In another tale, the Greek hero Diomedes, guided by Athena, wounded Ares with a spear, forcing him to retreat to Olympus.

The ancient Greeks held a complicated view of Ares. While acknowledging his power, they often contrasted him with Athena, who represented strategic warfare. Ares embodied brute strength and irrational violence, which was both feared and criticised.

In Greek mythology, the Arae, spirits of curse and retribution, are closely associated with Ares. They emphasise the consequences of violence and war, reflecting the inevitable suffering that follows conflict.

Another figure worth comparing to Ares is Arktos, associated with strength and survival in nature. While both embody raw power, Arktos represents resilience and endurance rather than chaos and destruction.

Ares’ animal symbols, such as vultures and dogs, serve as poignant reminders of death and the aftermath of battle. These symbols underscore the destructive nature of war and its far-reaching consequences.

As we delve deeper into Greek mythology, it’s essential to compare Ares with other Olympian gods. Understanding these contrasts and similarities provides valuable insights into the complex pantheon of Greek deities and their roles in ancient Greek culture.

Ares vs. other Olympic gods: comparisons and contrasts

Comparing Ares with other major gods and goddesses of ancient Greece provides insight into his unique role and significance. These contrasts highlight different aspects of Greek understanding of war, influence, and divine hierarchy.

Ares and Athena: Strategies of Warfare

Ares embodies the violent, physical aspect of conflict, while Athena represents military strategy and intelligence. The Greeks often favoured Athena’s calculated approach over Ares’ brute strength.

Ares personifies the brutal, animalistic violence of war, setting him apart from Athena’s strategic warfare. This distinction reflects the Greeks’ preference for wisdom in battle over sheer aggression.

Ares vs. Zeus: Authority and Rebellion

As the son of Zeus and Hera, Ares frequently clashes with his father. Zeus’s disdain for Ares’ brutal nature highlights the god of war’s chaotic persona. This strained relationship demonstrates Ares’ rebellious streak against Zeus’ authority and ideals of order.

Ares and Hermes: Different Approaches to Influence

While Ares embodies raw physical power, Hermes represents cunning and communication. This contrast showcases the difference between brute force and intellectual agility in achieving goals.

Ares and Dionysus: The Tension Between Order and Chaos

Ares represents the brutal aspects of battle, while Dionysus is associated with ecstatic revelry. Both deities challenge societal norms, illustrating the fine line between creation and destruction.

Unlike his Roman counterpart Mars, Ares is not very popular among the Greeks. This ambivalence is reflected in his humble temples and shrines, often located in isolated areas.

Understanding Ares’ complex role in Greek mythology provides valuable context for exploring the symbols associated with him. In the next section, we’ll delve into the weapons and animals that represent Ares, offering further inspiration for creative projects.

Symbols associated with Ares: weapons and animals

When people think of Ares, they often envision a man in armour, brandishing his sword and ready for battle. This image is fitting, as his symbols include the sword, spear, and helmet, often depicted in the form of his Roman equivalent, Mars.

Ares’ animal symbols include the boar and the vulture. The ancient Greeks considered the boar sacred to Ares. In mythology, Ares sent a boar to impede the hero Bellerophon’s victory over the fire-breathing chimera.

The vulture, linked to wisdom in ancient Greece, illustrated Ares’ vengeful side. Its scavenging habits served as a stark reminder of the harsh realities of war: physical and emotional devastation.

These symbols reflect Ares’ intrinsic connection to chaos and destruction in warfare. The vulture signifies the aftermath of conflict, while the boar aligns with the untamed aspects of Ares, reinforcing the notion of him being the embodiment of chaotic warfare.

In ancient Greek texts, Ares’ symbols were tied to themes of violence and bloodshed. He was typically depicted with:

• A spear (his most prominent weapon)
• A sword
• A shield (representing both defence and chaos in battle)

Ares often fought alongside other gods and heroes, with artistic representations highlighting the importance of these weapons to his character.

In certain myths, Ares had two sons with Aphrodite: Phobos and Deimos, who personified fear and terror respectively. These figures were later linked to the vulture and dog due to their fierce and unruly demeanour.

Understanding these symbols associated with Ares provides valuable context for exploring his portrayal in ancient art and literature. The next section will delve into how artists and writers depicted Ares, offering further inspiration for creative projects drawing on Greek mythology.

In the video ‘Ares: The POWERFUL God of War’, various symbols associated with Ares, the Greek God of War, are explored to encapsulate his fierce nature and profound influence on warfare. Key symbols such as the spear and shield reflect his martial prowess and aggression, while animals like the vulture and dog signify the darker consequences of battle, including death and loyalty. The imagery of Ares riding a chariot emphasizes his dominating presence and speed in combat. By examining these symbols, the video offers insights into Ares’ persona as a brutal and formidable figure within Greek mythology.

Ares in ancient art and literature

Despite the horrors of war, ancient Greeks embraced the Ares myth. His influence is evident in artwork from various periods of Greek history, including vases, sculptures, and coins.

Ares often appears standing in armour or riding a chariot, accompanied by his sacred animals, the wolf and the serpent. His prominence is particularly clear in Homer’s “Iliad”, where he’s portrayed as chaotic and bloodthirsty, switching sides between Greeks and Trojans.

This unpredictable nature invites mockery from other gods, especially Athena, who represents strategic warfare in contrast to Ares’s brute force. In this context, Ares symbolises raw power and uncontrollable rage.

Ares’s relationship with Aphrodite is noteworthy, underscoring the connection between love and conflict. In Roman adaptations, Ares was equated with Mars, a more complex figure associated with honour and virtue in battle, as well as agriculture and peace.

Visually, Ares appears on:

• Coins
• Reliefs
• Gems

His earliest major representation is credited to Alcamenes in classical antiquity. The Parthenon frieze depicts Ares among the Olympians, often not in war attire, showcasing a dual representation of his character beyond mere violence.

In artwork, Ares is usually shown in battle scenes, armed with a spear and shield, accompanied by symbols that incite fear, like a raven and a flaming torch.

Modern adaptations in films and literature often portray Ares as violent and aggressive, but with more depth. These depictions explore themes of conflict, love, and betrayal, emphasising his complex relationships with other gods and humans.

As we delve deeper into the myth of Ares, it’s crucial to understand his family dynamics and relationships. These connections provide insight into his character and motivations, shaping his role in Greek mythology.

The family and relationships of Ares: parents, siblings, and lovers

The family relationships of mythological figures are often as fascinating as the actual gods themselves. Ares, like most of the Olympians, has a family tree that branches out in various directions, producing some rather intriguing dynamics.

Ares is the son of Zeus, the king of the gods, and Hera, the queen and goddess of marriage. His parentage establishes him as a legitimate member of the Olympian pantheon. Zeus displayed disdain for Ares’ brutal and bloodthirsty nature, while Hera was fiercely protective of her son.

In some myths, Ares was born solely from Hera, without Zeus’ involvement, emphasising her complex relationship with him. Ares had siblings including:

• Athena (goddess of strategic warfare)
• Hebe (goddess of youth)
• Hephaestus (god of fire and metalworking)
• Eris (goddess of strife)

These relationships showcase the varied roles of the Olympian family. For instance, Athena represents strategic warfare, which contrasts sharply with Ares’ embodiment of chaotic conflict. Eris, often depicted alongside Ares in battle, complements his character by personifying the disorder of warfare.

Ares is well-known for his passionate affair with Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Their relationship produced several children, including:

• Deimos (Panic)
• Phobos (Fear)
• Harmonia (who later married Cadmus)
• Eros (the god of love)

This union reflects the duality of love and violence, showcasing the inherent conflict within Ares’ character. His often tumultuous connections with other gods, including his parents and Aphrodite, lead to themes of familial strife depicted in myths, such as the tale of being trapped by Hephaestus while with Aphrodite.

Ares embodies the conflicting natures of his parents: Zeus’ detached authority and Hera’s protective instincts. This complexity is reflected in Ares’ demeanour, which can be violent and aggressive, symbolising the ferocity of war.

Just as Asteria, the Titaness associated with nighttime and visions, embodies the deeper, often shadowy aspects of existence, Ares represents the chaotic and destructive forces underpinning human conflict.

The myth of Aoide focuses on the inspiring power of music and poetry, while Ares embodies the tumultuous nature of conflict and chaos, showcasing the duality of creation and destruction in Greek mythology.

Understanding Ares’ complex family dynamics and relationships provides insight into his character and role in Greek mythology. This understanding sets the stage for exploring the physical manifestations of his worship, which we’ll delve into next as we examine the places of worship and temples dedicated to Ares in ancient Greece.

Places of worship and temples dedicated to Ares in ancient Greece

In ancient Greece, Ares was a god both feared and revered. His followers built temples and conducted rituals to worship him, with one prominent temple located at the Areopagus in Athens. This temple featured a statue created by the renowned sculptor Alcamenes.

Temples dedicated to Ares were typically found outside of towns, suggesting that he was considered a protective figure, keeping enemies away from settlements. This placement reflects the ancient Greeks’ complex relationship with the god of war.

Ares’ worship varied across different regions of Greece:

• In Sparta, the god was worshipped through more extreme measures, including human sacrifices using prisoners of war.
• Spartans also performed a night offering of dogs to Ares, hinting at an underworld (chthonic) connection when he was worshipped as Enyalius.
• In Laconia, yearly festivals in Geronthrae celebrated Ares, where women were forbidden from entering the sacred grove during the events.
• In Tegea, Ares was honoured in a special women’s sacrifice called Gynaikothoinas, demonstrating the multifaceted nature of his worship.

While few ancient Greek statues of Ares have survived, he frequently appears on coins, stone reliefs, and gems. These representations offer valuable insights into how the god was perceived and portrayed in different contexts.

As we delve deeper into the myths surrounding Ares, it’s important to consider what lessons modern society can glean from these ancient stories. The following section, “Lessons from Ares: what modern society can learn from his myths”, will explore how the complex character of Ares can offer insights into contemporary issues of conflict, justice, and the human condition.

Lessons from Ares: what modern society can learn from his myths

Greek mythology is replete with colourful characters, each embodying different facets of human experience through stories that resonate even today. Among the most ambiguous figures in these tales is Ares, the god of war. Associated with carnage, strife, and the more unpleasant aspects of conflict, Ares often takes on an antagonistic role in the myths. Yet, he embodies lessons that are increasingly relevant in today’s world.

Ares represents the destructive and violent aspects of warfare, embodying the chaotic nature of conflict with little regard for either side involved. In contrast, Athena personifies the strategic and honourable dimensions of war, focusing on intelligence and thoughtfulness rather than brute force.

Ares’ portrayal as a fierce and aggressive god contributes to contemporary ambivalence surrounding discussions about war. Some interpretations lead to a polarised perception of conflict as either entirely negative or glorified. However, a thorough examination of Ares reveals interpretations that highlight his role in bringing strength, courage, and determination in difficult times, suggesting a balanced perspective on conflict.

The narratives surrounding Ares offer culturally relevant lessons on conflict resolution and ethics. His character represents the raw and untamed spirit of conflict, addressing the dilemma of how war can be both destructive and a catalyst for resolution. The myth of Ares battling other gods, such as when he is thwarted by Athena, illustrates that sheer force does not always triumph; intelligence and strategy often prevail.

Ares has profoundly influenced martial culture, particularly in embodying ideals of strength and physical prowess in combat. This is evident in various modern martial arts and competitive fighting disciplines. His imagery, adorned with weapons, emphasises the notion that physical capability and aggression are central to martial success. Yet, martial philosophies embracing Ares also advocate for:

• Resilience
• Respect
• Strategic thinking

Exploring strength and violence through Ares’ stories reveals not only the might affiliated with physical combat but also the repercussions of unrestrained aggression. In encounters with figures like Hercules and Athena, it becomes apparent that violent strength can be challenged, requiring a balance between aggression and strategy.

Through the Ares myths, characters like Athena, Odysseus, and the Trojan Women often symbolise wisdom, compassion, and resilience. Readers may connect with their strength to overcome adversity in a war-torn world. Gustav highlighted how the Trojan Women display an incompatibility between war and civility through their tenderness and humanity, often serving as voices of reason and self-sacrifice.

Exploring Ares: Mythical Legacy, Modern Interpretations, and Creative Inspirations

Exploring Ares, the Greek God of War, involves examining his multifaceted identity. This exploration highlights not only his masculine attributes and ferocity but also acknowledges his lesser-known nurturing aspects.

Ares embodies the chaos of warfare, symbolising passion, ambition, and a fierce commitment to personal glory. His character mirrors modern society’s perceptions of masculinity and the relentless pursuit of power.

In creative projects, the vivid narratives surrounding Ares ignite artistic imagination. Mythologists, storytellers, and creative thinkers scrutinise the conflicting attributes of Ares’s character, unveiling the potential for paradox and surprise.

Ares in Greek mythology represents the violent and untamed aspects of war, standing in stark contrast to Athena, the goddess of military strategy. His romantic entanglement with Aphrodite reveals further complexities in his character.

Notably, Ares experiences humiliation in myths, such as being ensnared in a net with Aphrodite by Hephaestus. This exposes their vulnerabilities to ridicule among the gods.

Ares’ counterpart in Roman mythology is Mars, celebrated as the father of the Roman people. Despite his prominent position, Ares’ cult was not widespread; his veneration was particularly pronounced in Sparta.

In Greek society, Ares’ character illuminates the fear and admiration intertwined with war and violence. Myths capture both the calamities of combat and the flawed essence of its god.

Modern interpretations of Ares offer new insights, allowing him to symbolise the chaotic aspects of human nature. Artistic representations often emphasise the savagery associated with Ares while contrasting it with Athena’s intellectual strategies.

The tales of Ares can serve as cautionary narratives, warning against the perils of unchecked aggression and the grave costs of war.

Ares’ relationships provide abundant material for exploration in contemporary fiction. Themes of humiliation and failure in Ares’ stories can be examined through modern lenses, addressing the repercussions of uncontrolled violence in current society.

Potential explorations of Ares in video games or interactive media could immerse users in his duality, with gameplay reflecting both his violent tendencies and the consequences of war.

Film adaptations could portray Ares as a tragic hero or an anti-hero, delving into the psychological depths of his character and prompting discourse on the nature of war and humanity.

To summarise, we’ve explored:

• Ares in Greek mythology: stories and myths
• Ares vs. other Olympian gods: comparisons and contrasts
• Symbols associated with Ares: weapons and animals
• Ares in ancient art and literature
• The family and relationships of Ares: parents, siblings, and lovers
• Places of worship and temples dedicated to Ares in ancient Greece
• Lessons from Ares: what modern society can learn from his myths

Ares’ complex character offers a wealth of inspiration for creative projects. Whether you’re a writer, artist, game developer, or designer, consider how you can incorporate Ares’ duality, passion, and cautionary tales into your work. Let the God of War inspire your next creative endeavour.

Further reading

• Aceso, the goddess of healing
• Arae, spirits of curse and retribution
• Enyalius, a title of Ares
• Gynaikothoinas, a special women’s sacrifice
• Alcamenes, the sculptor of Ares’ statue