Mars (deity)
Mars is a significant deity in Roman mythology, primarily recognized as the god of war, second only to Jupiter in importance. He is also associated with agriculture and fertility due to his unique conception by Juno, which links him to the earth and crop growth. The Romans revered Mars not only as a protector of their city and military endeavors but also as a father figure, particularly because he is mythologically credited with fathering the twins Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome. Mars is depicted as an honorable and level-headed figure, in contrast to his Greek counterpart Ares, who was often viewed negatively.
His symbol, the spear, was believed to resonate with the city's fate, trembling at the approach of danger. Festivals in his honor were held during critical agricultural and military periods, with rituals that included military leaders invoking Mars for victory. Key sites like the Campus Martius and various temples in Rome were dedicated to him, highlighting his integral role in Roman culture and identity. Additionally, myths about Mars, including his romantic pursuits and family lineage, illustrate his multifaceted influence in Roman society.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Mars (deity)
Symbols: Spear
Culture: Roman
Mother: Juno
Father: None
Siblings: Vulcan; Minerva; Hercules; Bellona
Children: Romulus; Remus
Mars was one of the principal gods in Roman mythology. Perhaps the only god more important in the Roman pantheon was Jupiter. Mars’s mother was Juno, the queen of the gods. According to mythology, Juno became pregnant with Mars after being touched by a magical plant. Due to the nature in which he was conceived, Mars is often associated with agriculture and fertility. However, Mars is most commonly known as the Roman god of war. Many festivals were held in his honor during times of both agricultural and militaristic significance. Because the Romans took much pride in their skills at war, Mars’s main role became the god of war.
As the Roman god of war, Mars was considered to be a protector of the Romans, their city borders, and their efforts in battle. His symbol is the spear of Mars, which was kept at the Regia, the residence of the former kings of Rome. The spear was said to tremble whenever Rome was threatened. This allegedly occurred before the assassination of Julius Caesar.
The Romans also held Mars in high esteem for the important role he played in the Rome’s founding heritage. Mars is known as the father of the twins Romulus and Remus. Romulus would go on to found the city of Rome. Therefore, the Romans believed Mars was a heavenly father to all of the people of Rome. If the city was ever in peril, the Romans believed Mars would assist them and guide them towards peace.
In Mythology
The Romans were fascinated with ancient Greek culture, and adopted many Greek gods into their own pantheon. Many of the myths involving Mars are taken from the Greek god of war, Ares. While many of the stories surrounding Ares and Mars are the same, their personalities and place in their respective cultures were quite different. The Greek Ares was thought to be hotheaded and brash. Ares was far from a beloved figure in Greek culture. In fact, he was regarded with much disdain. On the contrary, Mars had much more of an even-tempered personality and the Romans considered him as an honorable figure.
One of the few myths about Mars unique to Roman culture tells of his marriage to Anna Perenna, the mature goddess of the New Year. In the myth, Mars has fallen in love with Minerva, who is the virgin goddess of wisdom and the arts. Mars makes many advances and tries to impress Minerva. However, despite all of his efforts, Minerva remains uninterested and rejects him.
Anna Perenna hears of Mars’s rejection and is quite pleased because she is interested in Mars herself. She devises a plan to make Mars fall in love with her by disguising herself as Minerva. Wearing a veil to hide her face, Anna Perenna tricks Mars into marriage. This clever act of deceit was celebrated on the Ides of March with crude songs and jokes. It is celebrated at this time partially because the month of March (or Martius) was named for Mars.
Another famous myth about Mars involves his twin sons, Romulus and Remus. According to the myth, the twins’ mother was princess Rhea Silvia. Her uncle, Amulius, who killed her father the king to usurp the throne, forced Rhea Silva to become a priestess of the goddess Vesta. As part of her obligations as a priestess, she was to be celibate for thirty years. However, in the myth, Mars impregnated Rhea Silvia with the twins while she was asleep. As she slept, she had a dream in which she dropped a hairpin on the ground. As the hairpin hit the ground, twin trees began to grow. Over time, the trees grew so large that they covered the entire world. This is meant to foreshadow the eventual success of Romulus and his establishment of a successful Rome. The shade of the trees covering the entire world alludes to the spread of the Roman Empire.
After the twins were born, however, Amulius feared that they would one day steal his throne. To prevent this, Amulius had the twins thrown in a river. They were rescued from death by a she-wolf, who protected them. In addition, a friendly woodpecker brought them food. Romulus and Remus grew to be strong leaders, and they went on to kill King Amulius. However, instead of claiming the throne for their own, they wanted to establish a new city. Romulus would go on to kill Remus while disputing where to establish Rome. This story shows why Mars thought of the wolf and the woodpecker as sacred animals.
Origins and Cults
Mars was extremely important in establishing the religious and cultural identity of the Roman Empire. He personified the tough masculinity the Romans prided themselves in possessing as formidable warriors. Although Mars was thought of as a guiding force for war, these wars were ultimately waged to secure peace for Rome. In addition, because he was also a force in agriculture, the Romans relied on Mars to bring favorable crop-growing conditions.
A high priest specially dedicated to Mars, known as the Flamen Martialis, worshipped Mars. In addition, the Salii also worshiped Mars. The Salii were twelve priests who dressed in military armor and marched in special festivals dedicated to Mars. These festivals occurred in March and October, months that were significant to both agriculture and military. The Flamen Martialis led the celebrations. During these festivals, it was customary for the military general to bring out the holy spears of Mars. The general would hold the spears and pray to Mars to bring a speedy victory. He would then shake the spears and shout, "Mars vigilia!" or "Mars awaken."
Several temples existed throughout Rome dedicated to Mars. He shared the temple in the capitol with Jupiter and Qurinus. Another temple, the temple of Mars Gradivus, was where the Roman army would gather before leaving for battle. In addition, the Campus Martius (or, the field of Mars) was located outside of the city. This served as a location for the army to perform practice drills, as well as a training site for athletes.
Bibliography
Ashworth, Leon. Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Rome. London: Evans, 2006. Print.
Cartwright, Mark. "Mars." Ancient History Encyclopedia. Ancient History Encyclopedia, 16 Jan. 2014. Web. 2 June 2015.
Daly, Kathleen N. Greek and Roman Mythology A to Z. New York: Chelsea, 2009. Print.
Day, Malcolm. 100 Characters from Classical Mythology. Hauppauge: Barrons, 2007. Print.
"Mars." Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2015. Web. 02 June 2015.
White, William. Roman Gods & Goddesses. New York: Britannica, 2014. Print.