March – The Month of War – Mars Vs Ares
March – The Month of War – Mars Vs Ares
Here’s food for thought, if the Romans had kept the names of their gods Greek, the month of March, named after the Roman god of war, Mars, would maybe now be called Ares, the original Greek god of war.
Veni, vidi, vici
How the Ancient Greeks Influenced Roman Culture
Pantheon (Rome) – Front Photo Roberta Dragen
Veni, vidi, vici – I came; I saw; I conquered“, the Latin phrase is attributed to Julius Caesar who used the phrase in a letter to the Roman Senate, in around 47 BC, about his quick victory in his short war against Pharnaces II of Pontus at the Battle of Zela).
The ancient Greeks were defeated by the Romans in 146 BC, after the Battle of Corinth and remained under Roman rule until 324 AD.
During their victory over ancient Greece, not only did the Romans gain power, they gained a culture, in fact, you could take this a step further, which I will, and say that Roman culture was mostly copied from , or at least influenced by, the Greeks, who became an example to be followed; the Greek language became the chosen language for the elite, educated Romans, who embraced Greek literature and philosophy.
Even Horace, the ancient Roman poet stated, ‘Graecia capta ferum victorem cepit ‘(“Captive Greece captured her rude conqueror”).
To obtain the highest levels of education, they attended Greek philosophy schools, in fact, Greek texts were translated into Latin, by Marcus Tulius Cicero, to help things along.
The Romans, as the Etruscans before them had done, way back in about 700BC, renamed the Greek gods, a process known as syncretism , placed them in a Pantheon, which mirrors ancient Greek architecture, and claimed them as their own.
Mars the God of War and the Month of March
Temple of Mars Ultor – Rome – Italy
The Romans named the month of March after Mars (Greek – Ares), the God of war, which became the first month of the Roman calendar, as this is the month the god Mars is said to have been born.
The Tubilustrium
A ceremony held in the month of March in order to prepare the Roman army for war
The Tubilustrium
In Ancient Rome the month of March was the traditional start of the campaign season.
The Tubilustrium, a ceremony to prepare the Roman army for war and a tribute to the Roman God Mars, was held in Rome, in the Hall of the Shoemakers (atrium sutorium).
Citizens who did not attend, or who had forgotten what day it was, were reminded of the occasion, when they spotted the Salii, the leaping priests of Mars, twelve youths, dressed as archaic warriors, who, each year in March paraded around the city, dancing and singing.
Relief depicting the Salii (National Museum of Rome – Palazzo Altemps, Rome)
Horse races, in honour of the god Mars, were held in February and March, at the Campus Martius (Field of Mars), sacred to Mars, outside the walls of Rome, where the Roman army trained.
One of the winning horses from the races was sacrificed in honor of Mars to ensure his continued protection.
Mars
The Roman God of War
Bust of Mars Ultor (the Avenger), 2nd century AD, part of a relief sculpture and based on similar representations from Temple of Mars Ultor in the Forum of Augustus, Palazzo Altemps, Rome
Ares is the Greek god of war, whose name derives from the Greek word, ἀρή, which translates to ‘bane’ or ‘ruin’.
However, once he was adopted by the Romans, after they conquered the Greeks in 146 B.C, Ares came to be known under his Latin name, Mars and represented military power as a way to secure peace, and was regarded as father of the Roman people.
Inspired by Greek culture, myths about the Greek god Ares, were reinterpreted in Roman literature and art under the name of Mars.
Ares
The Greek god of war
Ares – The Greek God of War
In Greek Mythology, Ares was the son of Zeus, king of Greek gods and Hera, mother of Greek gods.
He was famous for his torrid love affair with Aphrodite (Venus).
Described as a cruel troublemaker, Ares (Mars), the god of war and champion of the gods, a strong warrior, never without his weapons, was not a much loved god.
In Homer’s epic the Iliad, Zeus tells Ares:
“You are to me the most hateful of the gods, for dear to you always are strife and wars and battles“.
Mars and other Roman gods by any other name would still smell so Greek!
Hera, (Roman -Juno), Ares’ mother, and patron goddess of Rome, is said to have given birth to Ares (Mars), protector of the Roman Army, after she was touched by a magic plant.
So, not only was he the god of war, but also a god of spring, growth, fertility and the protector of cattle, and this is why the Romans honored him with festivals in March, a time of the year when new growth begins in the fields and military campaigns resume after a winter break.
Mars was second only to Jupiter (Zeus, king of the Greek gods), in the Roman pantheon, which consisted of twelve gods, copying the Greek gods of Olympus, six gods and six goddesses, called the Dii Consentes.
so-called Ares. Roman copy from a Greek original—this is a plaster replica, the original is now stored in the Museum of the Villa. Canope at the Villa Adriana. photo Jastro
The Roman gods, all adopted from the ancient Greeks, were Jupiter (Zeus), the ruler, Neptune (Poseidon), Mars (Aries), Apollo, Vulcan (Hephaestus) and Mercury (Hermes).
The goddesses were Juno (Hera), Minerva (Athena), Venus (Aphrodite), Diana (Artemis), Vesta (Hestia) and Ceres (Demeter).
Mars and Romulus and Remus
In Roman mythology, Mars was more widely worshipped than any of the other Roman gods.
This was most likely because he was said to be the father of Romulus and Remus, the twins who were the founders of Rome, and why the Romans called themselves the sons of Mars.
Mars
Guardian of Rome
Mars the Avenger, Capitoline Museum Photo by dheinen on flickr(cc)
The Roman Army prayed to Mars before going to battle and believed it was Mars who decided who would be the victors.
Not only were battles associated with the God Mars, he was also said to protect cities from invading armies and help soldiers crush rebellion.
Ultimately, Mars became not only the protector of Rome, but the guardian and avenger of Emperor Caesar himself.
Eventually, Mars, the Roman equivalent of Ares, was given many of the characteristics of his Greek counterpart, although, as was usual with the Roman view of the gods, they had fewer human qualities.
Roman symbols of the god Mars
The Roman symbols of the god of war, Mars, were a sacred shield, a spear, a burning torch, a vulture, a dog, a woodpecker, an eagle and an owl.
The spear of Mars
Mars, adorned in bronze armor (which for many years, Roman priests continued to wear to perform ritual war dances during the March festivals of Mars), wields his spear, as Neptune (Poseidon) wielded his trident, Jupiter (Zeus) his lightning bolt, and Saturn (Cronus), his scythe.
The Spear of Mars, which represents the spear and shield of Mars, is also the symbol for the planet Mars and Male gender.
A relic, “The Spear of Mars”, kept in the sacrarium at the Regia, the former residence of the Kings of Rome, is said to have trembled or vibrated at the slightest hint of war, or danger, alerting the Romans to be on their guard.
The spear is reported to have vibrated before the assassination of Julius Caesar.
When Mars is depicted as a bringer of peace, rather than war, his spear is shown wreathed with laurel leaves.
The Shield of Mars
In ancient Rome, the ancilia (Latin, singular ancile) were twelve sacred shields kept in the Temple of Mars.
The Ancile, the sacred, or divine shield, was the most recognizable symbol of Mars.
Legend has it that the shield fell from heaven, during the rule of Pompilius, on the first of March; the month Martius, named after the god Mars.
It was said that as long as the shield remained within the city, Rome would be safe.
Eleven copies were made of the shield, to confuse any one plotting to steal the precious shield.
The burning torch, a vulture, dog, woodpecker, eagle and owl
The wolf and the woodpecker, creatures which had played a part in the saving of Romulus and Remus, were sacred to Mars.
Picus the Woodpecker
Picus And Circe by Luca Giordano
Picus, a Roman god who took the form of a woodpecker, was Mars’ companion, and was the founder of the first Latin settlement, Laurentum, which was a few miles outside Rome.
It’s said he got his name as he frequently used a woodpecker as a tool for predicting the future.
In Greek mythology, Picus was a much sought-after handsome god, whom the witch Circe, from Homer’s The Odyssey, set her sights on and attempted to seduce with her charms and potions.
When he rejected her advances, Circe turned Picus into a woodpecker.
The Romans claim the transformation of Picus into a woodpecker was due to to his skills at interpreting bird omens.
Greek symbols of the god Ares
A sacred shield, a Spear, a Burning Torch, Vulture, Dog, Woodpecker, eagle and owl, were the symbols of Ares.
Do these symbols sound familiar?
They should, it seems the Romans allowed Ares to keep his Greek symbols after he became a Roman God named Mars!
In Greek mythology, however, Ares did have a few more symbols.
The Vultures of Ares
The birds of Ares (Ornithes Areioi), were a flock of dart-dropping birds that guarded the Amazons’ shrine of the god Ares, on an island in the Black Sea.
These were vultures, who feed on the flesh of the dead on battlefields and were regarded as Ares’ sacred birds.
The Four Horses of Ares
Horses and chariot of Ares, Athenian red-figure amphora C4th B.C., Musée du Louvre
The Hippoi Areio (Horses of Ares) were four immortal horses named Aithon (Red Fire), Phlogios (Flame), Konabos (Tumult) and Phobos (fear) which drew the chariot of the god Ares.
Venus and Mars (Aphrodite and Ares)
Roman Version
Venus and Mars. (Aphrodite and Ares) c. 1483 Botticelli
In Greek myth and ancient art, the notorious affair between Ares (Mars) and Aphrodite (Venus) was exposed when Aphrodite’s husband, Hephaestus (Vulcan), caught them in the act by means of a magical net.
This was more or less ignored by the Romans, who presented Venus and Mars, as a happy, loving couple.
In Roman art, scenes of Venus (Aphrodite) and Mars (Ares), tend to forget the forbidden affair between Venus and Vulcan and concentrate on the lovers being attended to by Cupid (Eros).
Mars was often shown disarmed and relaxed, or even sleeping, the Renaissance philosopher, Marsilio Ficino, states that ‘only Venus dominates Mars, and he never dominates her’.
Aphrodite and Ares (Venus and Mars)
Greek Version
Vulcan (Hephaestus) traps his wife Venus (Aprodite) and her lover Mars (Ares) in a net – Costantino Cedini – 18 – 19th century – Palazzo Capodilista – Padua – Italy
The Sun-god, Helios, caught Ares and Aphrodite, red-handed, secretly up to no good, and informed Aphrodite’s husband, Hephaestus (Vulcan), of what he has witnessed.
Hephaestus, in order to catch the couple out, made a nearly invisible net with which to trap them.
When the time was right, the trap was set, catching Ares and Aphrodite in the act, so to speak.
Hephaestus, to add insult to injury, invited the Olympian gods and goddesses to view the unfortunate pair.
The goddesses, sticking by their friend, refused, the gods had no such qualms,.
On their release from Hephaestus, Ares returned home to Thrace with his tail between his legs, and Aphrodite fled to Paphos, Cyprus.
