⚔️ Ares

Attributes & Domains

Mythology & Stories

Ares appears frequently in Greek myth but is often portrayed unfavorably - as cowardly when wounded, beaten by mortals, or mocked by other gods for his brutish nature and lack of wisdom.

Key Myths:

• Ares and Aphrodite: Though Aphrodite was married to Hephaestus, she carried on a passionate affair with Ares. When Hephaestus learned of their adultery, he forged an invisible net and trapped them together in bed, then summoned the gods to witness their shame.
• Humbled by Heracles: During the Trojan War and other conflicts, Ares frequently supported one side but was often wounded or defeated. Heracles twice wounded him in battle, causing Ares to flee to Olympus in pain.
• Imprisoned by the Aloadae: The giant twin brothers Otus and Ephialtes captured Ares and imprisoned him in a bronze jar for thirteen months. He would have perished had not Hermes discovered and freed him.
• The Areopagus: When Ares's son was killed, Ares slew the murderer and was put on trial by the gods. He was acquitted, and the Hill of Ares (Areopagus) in Athens was named after him and became the site of the Athenian homicide court.

Relationships

Family

• Parents: Zeus and Hera
• Lover: Aphrodite (goddess of love)
• Children: Phobos (Fear), Deimos (Terror), Harmonia, the Amazons (various daughters), Eros (in some traditions)
• Siblings: Hephaestus, Hebe, Eileithyia, and half-siblings including Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Hermes

Companions

• Phobos & Deimos: His sons who personify fear and terror, accompany him to battle
• Enyo: Goddess of war and destruction, his companion in battle
• Eris: Goddess of discord and strife

Worship & Rituals

Sacred Sites

Unlike other Olympians, Ares had relatively few temples in Greece, reflecting his unpopularity. Sparta honored him more than other cities, as befits a warrior culture. Thebes also had an important cult of Ares. His primary worship occurred in Thrace, considered his homeland.

Offerings

Warriors dedicated armor and weapons from defeated enemies to Ares. Dogs and boars were sacrificed before battle. In Sparta, captured armor was hung in his temple. Blood offerings were common, befitting the god of bloodshed.

Prayers & Invocations

Soldiers invoked Ares before battle for courage and strength. However, prayers often sought to avoid his destructive influence rather than invoke it. The Spartans prayed to him not for victory but for courage in battle.