Ares is the Greek God of warfare, courage, and leadership. As with most of the Greek deities, he embodies both light and dark, although more emphasis does seem to be given to his voilent and brutal tendencies. Even the etymology of his name is connected with the more negative aspects of his being, with some interpretations being 'bane', 'curse', and 'ruin'.
He is the son of Zeus and Hera, although despite being one of the Twelve Olympians, he does not appear in nearly as many tales as his counterparts, nor does he seem to have been as widely worshipped amongst the peoples.
Whilst there were fewer temples and shrines to Ares than other deities, they did exist in certain places. He is often depicted with traditional instruments and tools of war; a spear, a shield, a helmet, or a sword. The Sophist Libanius also attributes apples to Ares, although he does not expand on this concept. It is hypothesised that maybe there is some connection there to sour apples, or 'the apple of discord', although this appears to be a completely unrelated Greek tale which doesn't include Ares directly.
He is the son of Zeus and Hera, although despite being one of the Twelve Olympians, he does not appear in nearly as many tales as his counterparts, nor does he seem to have been as widely worshipped amongst the peoples.
Whilst there were fewer temples and shrines to Ares than other deities, they did exist in certain places. He is often depicted with traditional instruments and tools of war; a spear, a shield, a helmet, or a sword. The Sophist Libanius also attributes apples to Ares, although he does not expand on this concept. It is hypothesised that maybe there is some connection there to sour apples, or 'the apple of discord', although this appears to be a completely unrelated Greek tale which doesn't include Ares directly.
One ancient relic believed to be of Ares was found in ancient Sparta, and was a statue of Ares nound in chains. The Spartans were believed to have bound representations of deities in chains, to bind them and to keep them in place (such as within the city, to work their power and protect the place). It is said that in the late Hellenistic period, an orcale instructed several cities which were constantly under threat from pirates to create a statue of 'a bloody, man-slaying Ares'. They were to hold a festival every year in which this statue would be bound in chains and offered sacrifice, and through doing this Ares would grant them protection from the pirates and bring prosperity to their cities.
In the few tales that mention Ares, he is not portrayed in a kind light. In one, Zeus calls him 'the most hateful of all Gods' after Ares returns from the battle of Troy wounded. In a couple of tales he is caught having affairs with Aphrodite and mocked for it, and in another he is captured by giants and imprisoned in a brass urn for thirteen months, screaming and crying until he was rescued. Despite his reputation as a blood-thirsty and raging God, capable of great savagery, most of the stories we know of him depict him as anything but. It is thought that this was deliberate, and the constant shaming of Ares was a warning to the Greek people's that savagery and cruelty were actually weaknesses that would never be rewarded.
Whilst there is not much information on Ares, and he is not a deity I have personally worked with, the contrasts in the way in which he is portrayed is fascinating, especially if you consider him to be a cautionary tale to the peoples of Greece. However, his reputation as a brutal and war-loving warrior seems to prevail, and he will always remain one of the key Greek deities.
In the few tales that mention Ares, he is not portrayed in a kind light. In one, Zeus calls him 'the most hateful of all Gods' after Ares returns from the battle of Troy wounded. In a couple of tales he is caught having affairs with Aphrodite and mocked for it, and in another he is captured by giants and imprisoned in a brass urn for thirteen months, screaming and crying until he was rescued. Despite his reputation as a blood-thirsty and raging God, capable of great savagery, most of the stories we know of him depict him as anything but. It is thought that this was deliberate, and the constant shaming of Ares was a warning to the Greek people's that savagery and cruelty were actually weaknesses that would never be rewarded.
Whilst there is not much information on Ares, and he is not a deity I have personally worked with, the contrasts in the way in which he is portrayed is fascinating, especially if you consider him to be a cautionary tale to the peoples of Greece. However, his reputation as a brutal and war-loving warrior seems to prevail, and he will always remain one of the key Greek deities.
