Αρης (Ares)
Greek God of War, Violence, and Destruction.
What He was Known for:
- Ares was the Olympian God of war, destruction, and violence, He was known for his insatiable taste towards violence and slaughter, and was seen as a force of savage warfare and blood-lust.
- He is the son of Zeus and Hera. Ares was unloved by his father and ignored by his preoccupied mother, so he was forced to live under his own guidance at Mount Olympus.
- He usually was not welcomed or well celebrated by the Greeks, nor the gods, with few exceptions such as Spartans and Amazons. Ares was disliked because wherever he went, he left traces of misfortune and aberration behind. He was usually regarded by feelings of hostility and suspicion, even by his parents.
Promotion of his worship originally derived from Macedonia and Thebes.
Helios once spied on the couple and told Hephaestus about this affair. Once Hephaestus was aware of his wife’s betrayal he angrily made a special net in order to trap her and Ares. He caught them together in his net and then invited other gods to see them.
Because of the actions between Ares and Aphrodite there was continuous tension between the gods, which resulted in Ares’ banishment from Olympus.
War Involvement:
He broke his promise and took allegiance with the Trojans.
In Homer’s Iliad it is told that he lead the Trojans to the battlefield along with his and Aphrodite's sons Phobos (“Fear”) and Deimos (“Terror”), and his sister Eris (“Strife”).
Ares often helped non-Greeks during wars such as the Trojans and Amazons.
Works Cited:
"Ares." , God of War and Destruction. Web. 07 Nov. 2014. <http://www.greek-gods.org/olympian-gods/ares.php>.
Hansen, William. "Ares." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 8 Nov. 2014.
Wolverton, Robert E. An Outline of Classic Mythology. N.p.: Littlefield, Adams &
Co., 1966. Print.
"ARES : Greek God of War | Mythology, W/ Pictures | Roman Mars." ARES : Greek God of War | Mythology, W/ Pictures | Roman Mars. Web. 08 Nov. 2014. <http://www.theoi.com/Olympios/Ares.html>.