greek deities and their roman counterparts ares // mars

ares was the greek god of war and battle, and the instigator of violence, a son of zeus and hera. because of his cruel and war-like nature he was despised by all the gods, even by his own father. ares was known to be bloody, merciless, fearful and coward, and to possess no moral attributes. he was, however, unable to withstand the loveliness of aphrodite, who subsequently became his lover.

mars was the roman god of war, and one of the most prominent and worshipped gods. in early roman history he was a god of spring, growth in nature, and fertility, and the protector of cattle. mars is also mentioned as a chthonic god and this could explain why he became a god of death and finally a god of war. according to some sources, mars is the father of romulus and remus by the vestal ilia (rhea silvia). because he was the father of these legendary founders of rome, and thus of the roman people, the romans called themselves ‘sons of mars’.