Mars
While the image of Mars as the Roman god of war is widely recognized, his influence extended far beyond the battlefield. He played a crucial role in ensuring agricultural prosperity, a vital concern for the early Romans.
Residence: Rome
Symbols: Spear and shield
Parents: Jupiter and Juno
Siblings: Apollo, Bacchus, Bellona, Diana, Hercules, Minerva, Vulcan
Consort: Nerio, Venus, Rhea Silvia, Bellona
Children: Romulus and Remus
Greek equivalent: Ares
Festivals: Agonalia, Armilustrium, Equirria, Equus Octobris, Mamuralia, Tubilustrium
Second only to Jupiter in importance, Mars held a particularly prominent role in the lives of Roman soldiers. He was their divine patron, their protector in battle, and a symbol of their courage and valor.
This martial aspect of Mars is undeniable, but his influence extended far beyond the battlefield. He was also a vital guardian of agriculture, ensuring the Romans’ prosperity. This dual role is evident in the timing of his festivals. Most were held in March (Martius), the month named after him, and in October. March marked the beginning of the campaigning season, while October signaled the end of harvest – a testament to Mars’ importance in both war and agriculture.
Unlike his Greek counterpart, Ares, who embodied the destructive and destabilizing aspects of war, Mars represented military power as a means to secure peace and stability for Rome. This focus on the defensive and protective nature of war is a key distinction between the two gods.
But Mars’ legacy wasn’t limited to military prowess and agricultural bounty. He was also considered the father (pater) of the Roman people. According to Roman mythology, Mars fathered Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, with Rhea Silvia. His love affair with Venus further cemented this connection. Venus, the Roman goddess of love, was also the divine mother of Aeneas, the Trojan hero who supposedly arrived in Italy generations before Romulus. This symbolic union of Mars and Venus reconciled the two prevailing narratives of Rome’s origins, uniting the warlike spirit of Mars with the lineage of Aeneas.
He was also a key figure in forging the religious and cultural identity of the vast Roman Empire. This is particularly evident in the western provinces, where a vast number of inscriptions identify Mars with local deities. This practice of “interpretatio romana” wasn’t simply about imposing Roman gods on conquered peoples. It reflected a more nuanced approach.
By recognizing local deities as aspects of Mars, the Romans fostered a sense of unity within their empire. Soldiers and citizens from diverse backgrounds could find a common ground in their shared reverence for the god of war. This strategy wasn’t limited to the western provinces. Throughout the empire, Mars transcended his purely Roman identity, becoming a symbol of military power and the Pax Romana – the Roman peace enforced through military might.
Art
Chesters Museum.
