Generals and soldiers alike swore oaths to Mars Gradivus, promising to fight furiously in his name. As Mars Gradivus, or “Marching Mars,” the deity was revered for his a presence on the battlefield. Mars was known by many epithets, each representing one of his many personas. The other, more immediate influence was the Etruscan deity Meris, a god who was often depicted as an infant and may have been an Etruscan counterpart to the Greek Heracles (or Roman Hercules). One was a proto-Italic deity called Mavors, a deity of which little is known. Though the meaning of the name “Mars” remains somewhat elusive, the name itself was clearly adapted from the names of a pair of Italian deities. The two deities differed in at least one respect, however-while Ares was a source of destructive conflicts that tore apart communities, Mars was a wellspring of productive conflicts that brought lasting peace. Mars was largely based on the Greek god Ares, the Greek god of war, and shared much of his mythology. According to Roman mythology, Mars raped the innocent Rhea Silvia and sired Romulus and Remus, twins who would go on to establish the fabled city. Mars’ importance to the Roman people was embedded in the mythic history of Rome and the origins of the Roman state. Bearing his trademark shield and spear, Mars is outfitted in his plumed helm, military cloak, and gorgon head cuirass. This “colossal” statue of Mars from the second century CE depicts Mars in one of his common incarnations-a wizened male in full battle gear. As Rome transitioned from city-state to empire and overtly embraced Greek cultural values, Mars lost his preeminent position in the Roman pantheon to Minerva, the goddess of tactical and strategic warfare. The early Romans revered Mars as a great raging god, whose fury inspired the savagery of warfare and produced the stunning accomplishments of the Roman arms. Mars ruled early Rome as a part of the Archaic Triad, a masculine ruling triumvirate that also included Jupiter and Quirinus (the deified Romulus). As a foundational deity, Mars had a mythology that was intimately intertwined with the Roman city-state. Divinity Mars is said to have murdered Neptune’s son, whereupon he had to answer to other gods.Furious Mars was the Roman god of rage, passion, destruction, and war. According to legend, Mars allured the Goddess Venus, and subsequently, his son Cupid came into the world. He was thus named in memory of Caesar’s murderers’ defeat. He has these attributes in common with divinity Apollo.ĭivinity Mars‘s surname was „Avenger“. Wolf, hawk, and laurel leaf are Mars’s main features. Later on, when developing to a God of War, Mars was conformed to the Greek God Ares. On the Campus Martius, which was named after him, the Roman Army hosted numerous congregations. Any March many festivals were held in honour of divinity Mars. He is always portrayed as a warrior, wearing a helmet with the typical imposing crest, with cuirass, targe, and lance. With the help of Divinity Mars the Romans could win the palm for heaps of times and, moreover, this patron protected the Roman Empire. Before leaving for an important campaign or fight, Roman legionaries visited him in his own temple to offer him up many sacrifices. Month of March was named after him, and also he is Romulus‘s and Remus’s father. Divinity Mars was in charge of health, fertility and richness, but even of devastation and misery. Mars was filled with furious as well as with peaceful and gentle features. Originally he used to be the peaceful God of Agriculture, over the years he evolved into the martial character of a God of War and escorted troops in their next battle. Divinity Mars was an important Roman tutelary goddess.
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