Mars God of Agriculture and War Symbol of

Mars, God of Agriculture and War

Symbol of War n Babylonian god of War – Nergal n Roman god of War – Mars n Greek god of War – Ares n Astrology – Commander of the Solar System, animal instincts

How everything came to be… n Romans believed there was first Chaos, the first principle n From Chaos: – Gaia – the earth – Tartarus – the depths of the earth – Erebrus – the darkness of Tartarus – Night – Eros – the “mingling god”

From the Gods Jupiter, the earth god, rises to power and controls all beings n Mortals were created n Juno is the sky goddess n Sacred union of Jupiter and Juno Mars is born n

Mars, the father of the Romans n n Most important god after Jupiter Mars mates with Rhea Sylvia, who becomes a goddess Twin sons: Remus and Romulus kills Remus and takes over the city of Rome

n Romulus kills Remus and takes over the city of Rome n Rome is a city of criminals and has few women n Romulus invites the Sabine Women for religious games but the women are seized by the Romans n With Sabine queen, Romulus founds Rome n Romans : “Sons of Mars”

Roman-Greek Gods n Jupiter – Zeus n Juno - Hera n Mars – Ares n Venus – Aphrodite

God of Fields and Ripening n Italian god Mars was the protector of fields, ripener of fruits and grain n Prayers were said before preparing the land n March was named after him n As Romans turned into warriors from farmers, Mars became the god of war

God of War n Warrior in full battle armour n Wolf and the woodpecker are his symbols n Lover of Venus, the goddess of love and fertility n Protector of gardens and flowers

City of Rome

Temples of Mars n Mars Gradivus – “he who precedes the army in battle” n Roman army gathered here before going to war n Campus Martius – field of Mars: training area of the army n Lances of Mars – kept in the centre of the city

Festivals for Mars n Festival of Mars – beginning of the year in the pre-Julian calendar n Citizens vote on political and criminal matters n Fields are ready for spring n Warriors, horses and armour are purified for the new year and the new battles n Salii dance around the city for Mars

n 19 th October, war season is over, the army is purified for the winter – Armilustrium n Suovetaurilia – sacrifice of pig (sus), sheep (ovis) and bull (taurus), for purifying purposes n Masculine, powerful and aggressive

Ares, Greek god of war Less popular than Mars n Attributed less profound aspects of war as brutality and waste n Very similar to Mars but not as important in Greek mythology n

Mars in Astrology Controls the basic feelings as temper, anger and sexual desire n Commander of the solar system n Associated with Aries which is confident, intelligent, impulsive, violent and quick tempered. n

To conclude n Maybe lost some of the importance in people’s lives n Still occupies minds n From a feared god to the neighbouring planet…