Ares

Overview

Ares was the Greek god of war. But unlike Athena, who stood for strategy and honour in battle, Ares represented the raw violence, chaos, and bloodshed of war.

He was one of the twelve Olympian gods and the son of Zeus and Hera. Even among the gods, Ares wasn’t well-liked — his own parents often rejected him. In myths, he was usually the aggressive one, rushing into fights, getting hurt, and being outsmarted by heroes or other gods.

Still, Ares wasn’t seen as all bad. To some, he stood for courage and bravery — the kind of fearlessness warriors needed to face danger. The Greeks had mixed feelings about him: they feared his fury but gave him respect during certain war rituals.

The Romans saw him differently. They called him Mars and honoured him as a noble and protective figure — a father of Rome and a symbol of military power and order.

Today, Ares is often shown as the classic war god: fierce, violent, and powerful, but not always wise. He’s a reminder of how war can be both heroic and destructive.

Want to know more? Read on…

Etymology

The name Ares likely comes from the ancient Greek words are or ara, meaning “ruin,” “curse,” or “bane.” Some scholars believe the name may have originally been an abstract word for “battle” or “war” itself. In fact, his name appears as a-re in Mycenaean Greek inscriptions written in Linear B, showing that the god — or at least his name — was known as far back as the 13th century BCE.

There’s also a theory that the name might come from a Pre-Greek or even foreign language. That would suggest Ares didn’t start as a native Greek god but was later adopted from an older or outside culture. This idea lines up with the way Greek stories often placed his origins in Thrace — a region to the north known for its wild, warlike tribes. Whether Greek or not, the name Ares carried a strong sense of violence and destruction — a fitting match for a god who embodied the brutal side of war.

Pronunciation

Alternate Names

Ares was known by several other names and titles, both in Greece and Rome:

• Mars – This is the Roman name for Ares. While the Greeks often saw Ares as reckless and feared him, the Romans viewed Mars as a more disciplined and respected war god — even a father of Rome.
• Enyalius (or Enyalios) – A title meaning “warlike.” Sometimes Enyalius was treated as a separate god, but usually it was just another name for Ares.
• Theritas – A local Spartan name for Ares, tied to the word Thersites, meaning bold or reckless. It shows how Sparta saw Ares as a daring, aggressive force.
• Poetic Epithets – Ancient writers gave him nicknames like:
  • Andreiphontes (“manslayer”)
  • Brotoloigos (“plague of men”)
  • Miaiphonos (“bloodstained”)

These names all reflect how closely Ares was linked to the violence and destruction of battle.

Attributes

Appearance

Ares was always shown as a warrior — strong, armed, and ready for battle. In art and myth, he appears either as a bearded man in full armour or as a handsome, clean-shaven youth with weapons in hand.

He usually wore a crested helmet, carried a round shield, and held a spear or sword. Sometimes he wore a short tunic with bronze greaves and a breastplate, but artists often showed him nude except for his helmet and weapons, to emphasise his strength and bravery.

His most recognisable symbol was his helmet — even when the gods were relaxing, Ares was often still holding it. He didn’t have a unique emblem like Athena’s owl or Zeus’s thunderbolt. Instead, his gear was the standard look of a Greek warrior.

Ares was also linked to certain animals. Vultures and dogs, both seen on ancient battlefields, were considered sacred to him. Later writers added the woodpecker — not a common symbol, but chosen because of its sharp, rhythmic tapping, which reminded them of the sounds of war.

Origination

Ares was one of the few Olympian gods born from both Zeus and Hera. Unlike Athena — who famously sprang from Zeus’s head — Ares had a more typical birth. He was simply the son of the king and queen of the gods.

His full siblings were Hebe (goddess of youth) and Eileithyia (goddess of childbirth). Some myths also say Hephaestus was his brother, though other versions say Hera had Hephaestus on her own. Ares also had many half-siblings, including Apollo, Artemis, Hermes, Dionysus, and even Athena, who would become his main rival in war.

Geographically, Ares was strongly tied to Thrace, a wild region north of Greece known for its fierce warriors. In the Iliad, after being wounded, Ares flees to Thrace to recover. Roman writers also say he retreated there after his affair with Aphrodite was exposed. The Greeks often saw Thrace as a foreign and dangerous land, which made it a fitting “home” for a god as wild and violent as Ares.

Some historians think Ares may have originally been a Thracian god adopted into Greek myth. But his name already appears in Mycenaean Greek texts from the 13th century BCE, so he was definitely part of Greek religion very early on. In the end, Ares’s origins tell two stories at once: he was a core member of the Olympian family, but also seen as a rough outsider — a god whose nature didn’t quite fit with the others.

Abilities

As the god of war, Ares had all the powers you’d expect from a divine warrior. He was incredibly strong, fearless, and skilled in combat. Just his presence on the battlefield could strike fear into entire armies.

He didn’t come alone, either. Ares was often joined by his sons Phobos (Panic) and Deimos (Fear), and by Eris (Strife), who stirred up conflict wherever she went. Together, they brought chaos and terror to the battlefield. Poets even described the noise of war as “the cry of Ares.”

But while Ares had brute strength, he lacked strategy. Unlike Athena, who gave warriors wisdom and skill, Ares only offered raw aggression. That made him unpredictable — useful in a fight, but dangerous to friend and foe alike.

Despite being a god, Ares wasn’t unstoppable. He was wounded several times in myth — most famously in Homer’s Iliad, where the mortal hero Diomedes, with Athena’s help, spears Ares and forces him to retreat, screaming in pain. His cries were said to be as loud as ten thousand men. He also lost fights against Herakles and was once trapped in a bronze jar by two giants.

All of this shows that Ares wasn’t a perfect warrior. He had strength and fury, but without control or tactics, he could be beaten — even by mortals. In myth, he represents the chaotic side of war: fierce and terrifying, but often reckless and self-destructive.

Their Habitat

As one of the Olympian gods, Ares technically lived on Mount Olympus. But he never really fit in with the others. While the rest of the gods enjoyed peace and order, Ares preferred the noise and blood of battle.

In myths, he shows up wherever there’s war — on the battlefields of Troy, the wild lands of Thrace, or any place people are fighting. Thrace, especially, was seen as his territory. The Greeks thought of it as rough and untamed, full of warrior tribes, and it matched Ares’s violent nature. Even the Romans said Mars (their version of Ares) ran off to Thrace after being exposed in a scandal.

Within Greece, Ares had a few important spots. In Athens, the Areopagus Hill (meaning “Hill of Ares”) was said to be where he stood trial for killing Poseidon’s son. It later became the site of an actual court. Sparta, a city built around war, also honoured Ares — even chaining down his statue, symbolically keeping his warlike spirit locked inside the city so it wouldn’t turn against them.

Unlike gods like Athena or Apollo, Ares didn’t have a major sanctuary or a sacred city. His “home” was really the battlefield itself. After the fighting ended, he might return to Olympus — usually angry or wounded — but his true place was always among warriors, weapons, and war.

Family

Ares was the son of Zeus and Hera, making him a full Olympian god. He had two full sisters:

• Hebe, goddess of youth
• Eileithyia, goddess of childbirth

He also had many half-siblings through Zeus’s other relationships — including Apollo, Artemis, Hermes, Dionysus, and his main rival, Athena. In some myths, Hephaestus was also his brother, though some versions say Hera had Hephaestus on her own.

Ares’s most famous relationship was with Aphrodite, the goddess of love — even though she was married to Hephaestus. Their affair was one of the most talked-about scandals on Mount Olympus. Hephaestus eventually caught them in the act using a magical net and dragged them in front of the other gods, who laughed at the scene.

Together, Ares and Aphrodite had several children:

• Phobos (Fear)
• Deimos (Terror)
• Harmonia (Harmony)
  Some stories also say they were the parents of Eros (Love) and Anteros (Love Returned).

Ares had other children too, usually with mortal women or minor goddesses. Many of them were violent or dangerous:

• The Amazons, the warrior women, were said to be his daughters with the Amazon queen Otrera.
• Cycnus, a killer who tried to build a temple out of travellers’ skulls.
• Diomedes of Thrace, who owned man-eating horses.

He also had a daughter named Alcippe, who played a role in one of his few sympathetic myths — when Poseidon’s son assaulted her, Ares killed him and was put on trial by the gods.

In short, Ares’s family ties run deep in Greek mythology. He’s at the heart of many divine relationships, and his children — especially those with Aphrodite — often reflect the same mix of love and violence that defined him.

Mythology

Ares doesn’t appear as often in myths as some of the other Olympian gods, but when he does, the stories usually show his temper, pride, and love of violence — and how that often backfires.

Battle with Diomedes

During the Trojan War, Ares fought on the side of the Trojans, partly because Aphrodite — his lover — supported them. In Homer’s Iliad, he enters the battlefield with full force, causing panic and destruction.

But his wild energy backfires when he comes up against the Greek hero Diomedes. With help from Athena, Diomedes is able to see the gods on the battlefield — and he doesn’t hold back. Athena guides his hand as he hurls a spear, and it hits Ares directly.

The wound sends Ares into a rage. He screams so loudly it’s said to sound like ten thousand men crying out in battle. Bleeding and furious, he flies straight to Zeus to complain. But Zeus isn’t impressed. He tells Ares he’s the most hated of all the gods because of his constant fighting and blind fury.

This story captures exactly how the Greeks saw Ares — powerful but reckless, and often humiliated by smarter or more disciplined opponents. While he’s a god of war, he’s not the hero of the battlefield. He’s the force that has to be survived or overcome.

Trapped by the Aloadae

Not all of Ares’s defeats came from heroes or other gods. In one lesser-known but striking story, he’s taken down by two giant mortal brothers — Otus and Ephialtes, known together as the Aloadae.

These giants weren’t just strong — they were ambitious. They decided to challenge the gods of Olympus themselves. As part of their attack, they managed to capture Ares and trap him inside a bronze jar (some versions say a cauldron). He was stuck there for thirteen lunar months — over a year — unable to escape.

Ares’s imprisonment was so complete that no one even noticed he was missing at first. Eventually, the trickster god Hermes found him and rescued him, but the damage to Ares’s pride was done.

The story is often read as symbolic. Some scholars think it represents the idea of war being “bottled up” or restrained during peaceful times. Whether that’s true or not, in the myth itself, Ares is completely humiliated — a war god trapped like an insect in a jar by a pair of mortals.

It’s another reminder that raw power, without strategy or foresight, can easily be outsmarted — and in Ares’s case, even mocked.

Affair with Aphrodite

One of the most famous stories about Ares has nothing to do with battle — and everything to do with scandal.

Ares had a long-running affair with Aphrodite, the goddess of love. The problem? She was married to his brother, Hephaestus, the god of metalwork and invention. Aphrodite and Ares would sneak off together and meet in secret, thinking no one would find out. But they didn’t count on Helios, the sun god, who saw everything from the sky.

Helios told Hephaestus what was going on. Instead of confronting them directly, Hephaestus came up with a clever plan. He crafted a magical net — thin, golden, and unbreakable — and laid it over his own bed. The next time Ares and Aphrodite were together, the trap snapped shut and caught them in the act.

Hephaestus didn’t stop there. He dragged the tangled pair out in front of the other gods on Olympus to expose them. The gods gathered and laughed at the scene — especially Apollo and Hermes, who made crude jokes. Only Poseidon stepped in, asking Hephaestus to let them go and promising he’d make sure Ares paid any penalty.

Ares, mortified, fled to Thrace. The whole episode became a legendary story — not just about infidelity, but about the contrast between strength and cleverness. Ares, the mighty war god, is completely helpless once caught in a trap. He’s not feared here — he’s ridiculed.

The myth also says something about Greek views on love, pride, and revenge. Even the gods weren’t above embarrassment. And for Ares, it was one more reminder that brawn wasn’t enough when brains were involved.

Trial for Killing Halirrhothius

Ares may have been a god of war, but he didn’t always fight for senseless reasons. In one story, he acts out of anger — not for glory, but to defend his daughter.

Ares had a daughter named Alcippe. One day, Halirrhothius, a son of Poseidon, attacked her. In response, Ares killed him. He didn’t wait for a trial or ask the other gods — he took justice into his own hands.

Poseidon was furious and demanded a formal response. The gods agreed to hold a trial on a hill in Athens. Ares stood before the other Olympians, defending what he’d done. In most versions of the story, he was acquitted, with the gods deciding that killing Halirrhothius was justified under the circumstances.

That hill later became known as the Areopagus, or “Hill of Ares.” In real life, it was the site of Athens’s court for serious crimes like murder. This myth gave the court a divine origin — and Ares, surprisingly, played a key role in shaping justice.

It’s one of the rare stories where Ares isn’t humiliated or reckless. Here, he’s shown as a protective father, standing up for his child. But even then, his actions were put on trial — showing that his violent nature, even when understandable, was still treated with caution.

Conflict with Herakles

Ares didn’t just clash with mortals — he also crossed paths with Herakles (Hercules), one of the most famous heroes in Greek mythology. Unsurprisingly, it didn’t end well for Ares.

In one story, Herakles was on one of his many quests when he ran into Cycnus, a brutal warrior and one of Ares’s sons. Cycnus was known for attacking travellers and trying to build a temple made from their skulls. Herakles fought him in single combat and killed him.

Ares, furious over the death of his son, rushed in to take revenge. But Herakles was no ordinary opponent — he was the son of Zeus and already favoured by the gods. In the fight that followed, Herakles managed to wound Ares, forcing him to retreat once again. In some versions of the myth, either Zeus or Hera stepped in to stop the battle before Ares could be killed or humiliated further.

In another, less well-known version of the Trojan War cycle, Herakles fights Ares directly when Ares sides with Troy. Again, Herakles comes out on top.

These stories follow a clear pattern: Ares charges in, full of rage, and gets beaten back by someone with better skill, cooler judgment, or divine support. It reinforces a theme that shows up in many of Ares’s myths — strength without control doesn’t win in the end.

Worship

Compared to other Olympian gods, Ares didn’t get much worship in ancient Greece. People respected his power, but they didn’t celebrate him the way they did gods like Athena, Apollo, or Zeus. Most Greeks saw Ares as dangerous — someone you honoured just enough to keep him away.

That said, there were some key places where Ares had a following:

Sparta

Sparta was the exception. As a warrior society, they respected Ares more than most. Some sources say early Spartans even sacrificed prisoners of war to him — though this might be an exaggeration from later writers. More reliably, Spartans performed a dog sacrifice to Ares (or to Enyalios, a war-related name of his). Dogs were almost never used in Greek rituals, so this made Ares stand out as a darker, more dangerous figure.

Spartans also had a statue of Ares in chains, showing that they wanted to keep his warlike power locked within their city — and under control. This wasn’t worship for blessing or guidance; it was worship for containment.

Athens

Paradoxically for a city that prided itself on law and reason, Athens did acknowledge Ares. The Areopagus (Ares’s Hill) in Athens was both a mythical and real site of judgment – the mythic trial of Ares gave its name to the hill, and historically the Athenian council of elders met there as a court for serious crimes. At the base of this hill, there was a shrine or altar of Ares. In the Augustan era, a temple of Ares was actually transplanted to the Athenian Agora from elsewhere in Greece (a Roman effort to honour Mars/Ares). While Ares was not a patron of Athens (that role belonged to Athena), the Athenians felt it necessary to give the war-god his due in a controlled way, perhaps to keep his wrath at bay.

Rest of Greece

Worship of Ares was scattered and local:

• At Olympia, there was an altar to Ares, though it wasn’t a main part of the site.
• In Tegea, women once a year made a special sacrifice to Ares under the title Ares Gynaikothoinas, or “Entertainer of Women.” It’s unusual for women to honour a war god this way, and the reasons are still debated.
• In Geronthrae, during a festival for Ares, women were completely banned from the sacred grove. This shows how varied Ares’s cults could be — some male-only, some female-led.
• In Asia Minor, Ares was sometimes merged with local war gods and even given oracular powers. The Scythians, according to Herodotus, worshipped a sword as his symbol and sacrificed 1% of war captives to him.

Across these regions, one thing was consistent: Ares was honoured not to invite war, but to restrain it. His rituals often involved tying, chaining, or sacrificing — not the kind of joyful festivals seen with other gods. People didn’t ask Ares to bless their homes; they asked him not to destroy them.

Rome: Mars the Honourable

In Rome, everything changed. The Romans identified Ares with Mars, and Mars was one of their most important gods — second only to Jupiter.

Mars wasn’t just a war god; he also had older connections to farming and family. He was considered the father of Romulus, Rome’s founder, and protector of the Roman state. Festivals in March (named after him) were held to purify and prepare the army. Temples like the Temple of Mars Ultor (“Mars the Avenger”) showed his status.

In Rome, Mars was a noble warrior, a bringer of peace through strength. Roman writers often softened or elevated the Greek myths of Ares when writing about Mars. Instead of a violent brute, Mars became a disciplined protector — the kind of war god a civilisation could build around.

Pop Culture

Ares hasn’t disappeared with the old myths. He’s still going strong in modern stories — usually as a villain or powerful obstacle that heroes have to face. Across comics, games, films, and TV, Ares is almost always shown as the god of war unleashed: fierce, destructive, and dangerous.

Here are some of the biggest modern portrayals:

Wonder Woman (DC Comics & Film)

In the 2017 Wonder Woman film, Ares is the main villain. He hides under the name Sir Patrick Morgan, secretly influencing World War I from behind the scenes. In the final battle, he reveals himself and faces Wonder Woman — who defeats him with the power of love and justice.

In the comics, Ares has been around since the 1940s, usually shown in Greek armour or modern suits. He’s a recurring enemy of Wonder Woman, always trying to provoke conflict and chaos. The film helped introduce him to a wider audience as a manipulative, all-powerful god who thrives on war.

God of War (2005 Video Game)

In the original God of War game for PlayStation 2, Ares is the final boss. He tricks the main character, Kratos, into killing his own family, then uses him as a weapon of destruction.

Kratos turns on Ares, and with help from the gods — plus Pandora’s Box, a key item in the game — he manages to defeat and kill him. Afterward, Kratos takes his place as the new God of War. This version of Ares is huge, terrifying, and explosive — a true monster of war, full of fire and rage.

Percy Jackson & the Olympians (Book Series)

In Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series, Ares appears in the first book, The Lightning Thief, as a leather-clad biker with a bad attitude. He loves violence, starts fights wherever he goes, and tries to use Percy to trigger a war between the gods.

Percy eventually defeats him in a duel — an impressive feat for a 12-year-old demigod. After the loss, Ares curses him, and they remain enemies. In this version, Ares is loud, arrogant, and not too bright — a perfect modern take on the chaotic war god.

Fun fact: Ares was left out of the 2010 film, but he’s returning in the upcoming Disney+ adaptation, played by WWE star Adam “Edge” Copeland.

Xena: Warrior Princess (TV Series)

In the 1990s show Xena: Warrior Princess, Ares is a recurring character, played by Kevin Smith. He’s charming, dangerous, and constantly trying to sway Xena back to her violent past. Sometimes he’s an enemy, sometimes a love interest, but always a symbol of temptation and chaos.

This version gave Ares a more human side. He’s still a war god, but he’s also seductive, conflicted, and even vulnerable — especially when it comes to Xena. Fans loved his mix of power and charm.

Wrath of the Titans (2012 Film)

In this fantasy sequel to Clash of the Titans, Ares is reimagined as a jealous son of Zeus and brother to Perseus. Feeling overshadowed, Ares betrays his father and teams up with Hades and Kronos to destroy the gods. He later fights Perseus and loses.

This version plays up Ares’s emotional side — he’s not just violent, but also driven by envy and resentment, giving him more depth than a simple brute.

Final Thought

Across all these stories, Ares usually shows up as a force that heroes must overcome — not just physically, but morally. Whether he’s dressed as a biker, a giant monster, or a suave god in leather, he represents what happens when violence takes over. His power is impressive, but it always comes at a cost.

References

Ancient Sources

• Homer – The Iliad, Book 5: Features the famous scene where Diomedes wounds Ares during the Trojan War.
• Homer – The Odyssey, Book 8: Includes the tale of Ares and Aphrodite being caught in a magical net by Hephaestus.
• Hesiod – Theogony: Lists Ares as a child of Zeus and Hera and names his children with Aphrodite.
• Apollodorus – The Library (Bibliotheca): A myth collection with details on Ares’s children, battles, and myths like the Aloadae.
• Pausanias – Description of Greece: A travel account that describes real-world worship of Ares, including chained statues, shrines, and rituals like dog sacrifices.

Modern references:

• Theoi.com – A detailed online guide to Greek mythology with quotes from ancient texts and summaries of Ares’s myths, family, and worship.
• World History Encyclopedia – “Ares” by Mark Cartwright – A helpful summary for general readers that compares Ares and Mars.
• Greek Religion by Walter Burkert – A respected academic source on how the Greeks worshipped their gods, including the limited cult of Ares.
• Robert Graves – The Greek Myths – A literary retelling of Greek myths that brings together various ancient versions into one narrative (with some creative liberties).
• William Smith’s Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology – A classic reference from the 1800s, still useful for historical interpretations of Ares’s role and myths.