Mars (mythology)

In ancient Roman religion and mythology, Mars is the god of war and also an agricultural guardian. He is the son of Jupiter and Juno, and was very important to the Roman army's military gods. Many of his festivals happened in March, the month named after him, and in October. These months started and ended the time for both fighting in war and working on farms.

Because of Greek culture, Mars was often thought of as the same as the Greek god Ares. But Mars was different from Ares. While Ares was seen as causing trouble, Mars stood for the power of war as a way to secure peace. He was also seen as a father to the Roman people.

In the stories about how Rome began, Mars is said to have fathered Romulus and Remus with Rhea Silvia. A she-wolf nursed these two boys when they were young. Mars also had a love story with Venus, which connected different parts of Rome’s beginning. Venus was the divine mother of Aeneas, who was also said to have helped start Rome.

Name

The word Mārs comes from an old Latin word. In some old poems, it was also called Māvors. This name is related to an old word from another language called Oscan, where the god was called Māmers.

Over time, people thought Mars might be connected to storm gods from very old stories, but scholars today mostly disagree with this idea. The oldest form of Mars' name in Latin looks like it might have come from a place far away, maybe from a god named Maris from Etruscan stories. But not everyone thinks this is true.

Words like "martial" (used in "martial arts" or "martial law") and names like Marcus, Mark, and Martin come from Mars' name. Some believe Mars might have been an old storm god from stories that go back a very long time.

Birth

Mars is usually seen as the son of Jupiter and Juno, just like Ares, the son of Zeus and Hera. In one version told by Ovid, Mars was born from Juno alone. After Jupiter gave birth to Minerva without a mother, Juno wanted to do the same. She asked the goddess Flora for help, who gave her a special flower. Using this flower, Juno was able to become pregnant and later gave birth in Thrace near the shore of Marmara.

Ovid shared this story in his work called the Fasti, which talks about the Roman calendar. This tale might explain why the Matronalia, a festival for married women honoring Juno as a goddess of childbirth, happened on the first day of Mars’s month. In the very old Roman calendar, March was the first month, so Mars would have been born at the start of the year. Ovid is the only one who tells this story, and he might have made it up or recorded an old tradition. Either way, his story shows that Mars was linked to plants and cared for by women.

Consort

Mars had a partner named Nerio or Neriene, which means "Valor". She stood for the strength, power, and greatness of Mars. Her name came from the Sabine people and was linked to the Latin word for courage. In old plays from around the 3rd century BCE, Mars is shown greeting Nerio, his wife. Later, Nerio was sometimes linked with the goddess Minerva.

The story of Venus and Mars was also popular. In art, they were often shown as a beautiful couple, sometimes with Cupid nearby. Their union represented the ideas of love and war. In some pictures, they looked like a married couple, showing deep love between them. Artists liked to paint scenes where Mars looked calm and peaceful, but sometimes this quiet moment hinted that things might not stay peaceful forever.

Essential nature

Mars was an important god in ancient Roman religion. He was known as the god of war and also as a guardian of farming. This dual role shows how early Romans connected war and agriculture.

Mars was the son of the gods Jupiter and Juno. He was especially important to the Roman army. Many festivals honoring Mars were held in March and October, months that marked the start and end of the time for both war and farming. Mars was linked with courage and strength, qualities that were admired in Roman soldiers and leaders. Over time, Mars was also seen as a protector, watching over Rome and its people during times of war.

Sacred animals

The wild animals most sacred to Mars were the woodpecker and the wolf. Romans believed these animals lived together in the same foothills and woodlands.

The woodpecker was important to Mars because it is a brave bird with a strong beak. It was carried as a charm to keep away harm. The wolf was also linked to Mars, especially in the famous story of how a she-wolf cared for Mars's babies.

The goose was also connected to Mars in some areas, seen as a strong and protective animal.

Sacrificial animals

In ancient Roman religion, animals offered to gods were usually ones people ate. Mars usually received whole males as offerings, with bulls being common. Two special sacrifices for Mars were the suovetaurilia, which included a pig, ram, and bull, and the October Horse, a special horse sacrifice.

Temples and topography in Rome

The earliest place in Rome to honor the god Mars was the Altar of Mars in the Campus Martius, outside the sacred boundary of the city. The Romans believed this altar was set up by Numa Pompilius, a peaceful leader who followed Romulus. The area was used for raising horses and training young riders.

During the Roman Republic, no temple stood at the altar, but a covered walkway linked it to the Porta Fontinalis. Newly elected leaders placed their special chairs by the altar and used it for important ceremonies. The main Temple of Mars, devoted to his role as a warrior, was built outside the city's sacred boundary to fulfill a promise made during a difficult time in 388 BCE. Soldiers gathered there before going to war, and it was also where a big parade of Roman cavalry took place each year on July 15. Later, Augustus built a grand Temple to Mars Ultor, honoring Mars as the avenger of Julius Caesar. The temple became a place to keep important military symbols that were lost and then recovered.

Iconography and symbol

Mars, the Roman god of war, was shown in art in many ways. He could be shown as a older man with a beard or as a younger, clean-shaven figure. Even when shown without clothes, he often wore a helmet or held a spear to show his role as a warrior. Mars appeared on early Roman coins and small statues from ancient times.

In one famous artwork from the Altar of Peace, Mars is shown as a proud and dignified man. He wears a special helmet and military clothes, holding a spear decorated with laurel leaves to show peace won through strength. The spear was very important to Mars, much like the lightning bolt was to Jupiter. A special spear said to belong to Mars was kept in a sacred place in Rome. It was believed to move when there was danger or war coming.

Priesthoods

In ancient Rome, Mars was honored by special religious leaders. The main priest of Mars was called the Flamen Martialis, one of three major priests in a group of fifteen called flamens. Mars was also served by the Salii, twelve young men from important families who dressed like old warriors and danced in parades around the city each March. Both of these groups of leaders go back to the very beginning of Roman history, and only certain families could join them.

Festivals and rituals

The festivals of Mars mainly happened in March, the month named after him, with a few also in October. These months marked the start and end of the time for both soldiers to go to war and for farming. Some of these special days included races with horses and chariots in a place called the Campus Martius. A few March festivals had elements of celebrating the new year, because March used to be the first month of the old Roman calendar.

Some important dates were: February 27 had races with chariots or horses, March 1 was considered Mars's birthday, and March 14 featured more chariot races. On March 14 or 15, there was a festival called Mamuralia where an old figure was driven out. March 17 had a special ceremony, and March 23 was for cleaning and preparing the army. In October, the 15th had a chariot race and a special horse event, and the 19th was for cleaning weapons. Mars was also part of other festivals like Robigalia and Consualia, though they were not just for him. Starting in 217 BCE, Mars was honored during a special meal for gods called a lectisternium.

Mars was mentioned in some old Roman songs. The Arval Brothers sang to Mars while doing a special dance, and Mars's priests, the Salii, sang a very old song called the Carmen Saliare while moving sacred shields around the city. By the 1st century AD, the words of this song had become so old that people did not fully understand them anymore.

Name and cult epithets

Mars was known by many titles in ancient Roman religion. The Roman leader Augustus linked Mars closely to the empire. The historian Ammianus Marcellinus wrote that Mars was still respected as a god in his time. The emperor Julian, who chose not to follow the Christian faith, honored Mars with special ceremonies.

Mars Gradivus was a god soldiers turned to for bravery in battle. Soldiers would promise to fight bravely in his name. His temple was where armies would gather before going to war. Priests called the Salii would perform dances in armor to honor him.

Mars Quirinus protected Roman citizens. He was seen as a god of peace, especially when Rome was not at war. The deified Romulus, the legendary first king of Rome, was sometimes thought to be the same as Mars Quirinus.

Mars was also called Grabovius in some rituals, especially in the city of Iguvium. In prayers for farming, Mars was called Pater, meaning "Father Mars." He was asked to help with crops and was thanked for good harvests.

Mars Silvanus was a name used in forests to help cattle stay healthy. Special offerings were made to him for the animals.

Augustus created the cult of Mars Ultor to remember important events, like defeating those who opposed Julius Caesar and getting back Roman symbols lost in battle. Mars Ultor was shown as a strong warrior with armor and a helmet. The temple of Mars Ultor became an important place for Roman leaders.

Mars was also linked with many local gods in places far from Rome, especially in areas like Gaul, Spain, and Britain. In these places, Mars was often seen as a healer, helping people fight sickness just as he helped in battles.

On the calendar

Mars gave his name to the third month in the Roman calendar, Martius, which is where the English word March comes from. In the oldest Roman calendar, Martius was actually the first month. The planet Mars was also named after him, and sometimes people wrote about the planet and the god as if they shared the same traits.

In many languages, Tuesday is connected to Mars or the idea of war. For example, in Latin it was called martis dies, meaning 'Mars's Day'. This idea lives on in languages like Portuguese (marte), Spanish (martes), French (mardi), Italian (martedì), Romanian (marți), and Catalan (dimarts). In Irish, the day is called An Mháirt, and in Albanian it is e Marta. The English word Tuesday comes from Old English Tiwesdæg, which means 'Tiw's Day', referring to the Old English version of the war god *Tîwaz, or Týr in Norse.