Ares

Ares

Ares was the ancient Greek god of war and courage. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, which means he lived on Mount Olympus with the other important gods. Ares is the son of two big gods: Zeus, the king of the gods, and Hera, his wife.

People in Greece had mixed feelings about Ares. He stood for bravery in battles, but he could also seem harsh. In stories, Ares does not play a huge role. His sister Athena was often the one helping the Greeks win battles instead.

Ares is closely related to the Roman god Mars. As Roman stories borrowed from Greek ones, Mars became very similar to Ares. But Mars was also respected as a protector of the Roman people.

The name Ares comes from an old Greek word meaning “war” or “battle.” In famous poems like the Iliad, the word for “battle” was sometimes used to mean Ares himself.

Ares was sometimes shown with war tools like a helmet, shield, and spear. Even though he was a god of war, people still made statues and offered gifts to him, hoping for good luck and peace.