10 Fascinating Facts about God of War Ares

Image by Illustrated by Engravings on Wood. from Wikimedia

10 Fascinating Facts about God of War Ares

Once upon a time, in the ancient world of Greece, there was a powerful and feared god known as Ares. With his beautiful armour and a golden helmet Ares, the god of WAR was the perfect model of a warrior. His desire for conflict and blood even horrified the other gods. Because of his violence and uncontrollable nature, there were gods who feared him, thus he was disliked by most of the deities. During confrontations and battles among men he marvelled at the carnage but out of habit, he did not support any side because it was more courageous, honourable or righteous but rather because he preferred the more brutal ones. Even Zeus hated him but couldn’t expel him from Mt. Olympus because he was goddess Hera’s Son. This read will enlighten you on some fascinating facts about Ares.

The Greek Pantheon

In terms of gods, the Greek pantheon consists of 12 deities who were said to reside at Mount Olympus. The 12 Olympian gods governed the universe and commanded the legions of lesser gods and spirits. They were; Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Hermes and Dionysus. Each deity has a unique personality, attributes, and sphere of influence. The Greeks believed that these gods and goddesses controlled various aspects of human life and natural phenomena, and they offered prayers and sacrifices to gain their favour.

Read about the King of Greek gods:  15 Great Facts about Zeus.

1.  The Warlike Spartans Revered Ares

Spartan warrior. Image by Dejan Krivokapic from Pixabay

The ancient Spartans were known for their reverence of Ares, the Greek god of war. Ares was seen as a powerful and fearsome deity and the Spartans believed that his favour was necessary for success in battle. They viewed warfare as a means of glorifying Ares, and they sought to emulate his strength and courage on the battlefield. Spartan warriors were trained from a young age to be fierce and disciplined fighters, and they believed that their devotion to Ares would make them invincible. They often made sacrifices to the god before going into battle, and they believed that Ares would reward their bravery and honour with victory.

2. He had a Love affair with Aphrodite

Ares and goddess Aphrodite. Image by Unknown Author from Wikimedia

In fact, Ares, the god of war, and Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, were lovers. The myth says that Aphrodite was married to Hephaestus, the ugly god of metalworking and fire, but she wasn’t loyal to him. Ares, who was also well-known for his passionate and fervent desire for battle, attracted her attention. They had several children, including Eros (Cupid), the god of love, and Harmonia, the goddess of harmony, who were frequently depicted together.

The other gods and goddesses did not like their relationship because they thought it was scandalous and inappropriate. However, despite the disapproval of others, Ares and Aphrodite continued their relationship until when they were caught and paraded by Hephaestus. In Greek mythology, the love affair between Ares and Aphrodite is a well-known and important story that exemplifies the intense feelings and passions that can exist between people.

The Best way to see the Venus de Milo at the Louvre Museum.

3. If it Quacks like a Duck and Walks Like a Duck it is a….

Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay

 Ares had two children that would accompany him to war: Phobos and Deimos. Phobos personified fear, and Deimos personified terror. Phobos and Deimos were often depicted as young men with wild eyes and carrying weapons. They would ride alongside their father Ares in his chariot, inspiring fear and panic in the hearts of their enemies. According to mythology, their presence on the battlefield would cause soldiers to flee in terror, making it easier for Ares to achieve victory. Ares would have Phobos and Deimos accompany him in battle because of the feelings they would bring upon the enemy before battle. Phobos and Deimos would also drive the chariot that his father would ride in.

4. Fascinating Fact: Ares was Once Abducted

The god of war, Ares, was once captured by giants who were children of Gaia (earth) and Uranus (sky). The story goes that the giants got angry with the gods and tried to overthrow them and take Olympus. They knew that Ares was a powerful god and decided to capture him to weaken the defences of the gods. They lured Ares to the fortress where he was bound and imprisoned in chains. However, Ares’ cries of pain were heard by Hermes, the messenger of the gods who warned the other gods. Zeus, the king of the gods, ordered Ares to rescue him. Artemis tricked the two giants into turning them into deer they wanted to hunt and killed each other, while Hermes stole the urn where he was imprisoned and freed Ares.

5.  The War Deities Derby

In the Iliad Homer tells that Ares and Athena fought between themselves twice. In the first duel, Ares was seriously wounded by Athena’s spear and fled to Mt. Olympus for refuge. For the rematch, he was again wounded by a huge rock thrown by Athena. Ares was hot-headed and impulsive, prone to acting without thinking things through while   Athena was renowned for her strategic mind and ability to plan and execute military campaigns. Despite their differences, Ares and Athena were both revered by the ancient Greeks as powerful deities who play an important role in human affairs.

Related Read: 10 Facts about Athena the Greek Goddess.

6. In the Trojan War he fought for the Trojans

A scene from the Trojan War. Image by Ed Mesken from Wikimedia

In Greek mythology, Ares was a god of war and was often portrayed as a violent and unpredictable character. While Ares is associated with war in general, he most of the time did not have a particular affiliation with either the Greeks or the Trojans. It must be noted that the Trojan War was one of the biggest wars in Greek mythological stories and Ares was part of it, too. During the battle, Ares fought along with the Trojans and took the side of Aphrodite. He fought for Hector until he was wounded by a Greek warrior who pierced him with a spear guided by Athena. In Homer’s Iliad, Ares is shown fighting on the side of the Trojans. In Greek mythology, the gods and goddesses often took sides in human conflicts based on their personal relationships with the humans involved, rather than any larger moral or ethical considerations.

7. Though Ares was god of War he wasn’t Always Victorious

Image by Welcome Images from Wikimedia

Ares was hated by his own father Zeus that he created a second deity to represent war. The second entity was Athena known as the goddess of fair and strategic war, leaving Ares to represent the bloody and violent war. In Mythology he was often depicted as being reckless and impulsive in his actions, which led to his defeat on multiple occasions. In the story of the Gigantomachy, Ares fought against the Giants but was defeated by the goddess Athena, who outsmarted him in battle. Even worse was during the Trojan War where he fought on the side of the Trojans but was wounded by the Greek hero, Diomedes, and forced to flee from the battlefield.

8. He fought Hercules One on One

The Battle of the Gods and Giants. image by Shuishouyue from Wikimedia

On this occasion, the strong demigod Hercules fought one of Ares’ sons, Cycnus. Seeing that his son was about to be exterminated, the god of war intervened. Hercules despite annihilating Cycnus also wounded Ares who fled to Olympus. All this took place because Cycnus challenged Hercules to a battle. Cycnus was a cruel and bloodthirsty bandit. The son of Ares and Pelopia (or Pyrene), he seized control of the sacred grove of Apollo at Itonos in southern Thessaly, as he murdered pilgrims and stole offerings intended for the god. But they also fought alongside each other against giants and monsters during the Gigantomachy.

9. Ares Inspired the Videogame; God of War

At one time Zeus appointed Kratos the god of strength to the position of god of war. Deimos’ death and Kratos’ destructive and aggressive behaviour led Zeus into believing that Kratos is the Marked Warrior who would seek revenge against the Gods of Olympus and one day destroy them, hence the appointment. Feeling threatened about losing his designation Ares threw his replacement to forever to Tartarus. However, even the underworld couldn’t hold Kratos as he fought his way back to Athens. This story is behind the inspiration for the creators of “Game of War” the videogame played all over the world. In the video game series, Ares is portrayed as a primary antagonist who seeks to destroy the world and reign supreme over all.

Related Read: Everything you Need to Know about the Roman gods.

10. An Ancient God but a Pop Culture Icon

Ares Cosplay. Image by Chris Favero from Wikimedia

Ares is a regular character in the television series Xena: Warrior Princess, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Young Hercules. Portrayed by Kevin Tod Smith (credited as Kevin Smith), he is scripted as a conflicted God who is torn between his passionate desire for Xena and his inherent desire to foster war and people’s evil nature. The god was portrayed by Daniel Sharman in the 2011 film Immortals. During the events of the film, he, along with Athena (Isabel Lucas), Poseidon (Kellan Lutz), Apollo (Corey Sevier), and Heracles (Steve Byers), are warned by Zeus (Luke Evans) not to interfere in mortal affairs as gods unless the Titans are released. For the little ones, Ares appears in Disney’s Hercules and its TV spinoff, voiced by Jay Thomas.

Ares was idolized by soldiers and warriors seeking his protection in battle, despite his flaws, and he played a significant role in Greek mythology. Ares is a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked violence and aggression and represents the darker side of war through his various myths and legends. The Greek god of war was a powerful and ruthless Greek god whose reincarnation can only be equated to a present-day dictator waging war against Ukraine.