Ares: The Untamed God of War
Ares. The name alone brings images of blood-soaked battlefields, the clash of swords, and the deafening cries of warriors. He wasn't the god of careful strategies or cunning warfare—that was Athena’s domain. Ares was war in its rawest, most brutal form. The god of violence, bloodlust, and chaos. Son of Zeus and Hera, yet unloved by both. Feared by men. Despised by gods.
Unlike his Roman counterpart, Mars—who was respected and even admired—Ares was reckless, impulsive, and, quite frankly, a bit of a hothead. The Greeks didn’t celebrate him. They tolerated him. He brought carnage wherever he went, and even when he fought, he rarely won. His myths? Full of humiliation, defeat, and divine scolding.
But don’t be fooled—Ares wasn’t weak. He was just... too much.
Ares vs. The Aloadae Giants: A God in Chains
Two giants. Otus and Ephialtes. They thought they were better than the Olympians. Bigger. Stronger. They wanted to take Olympus for themselves. And, of course, they had a plan.
They stormed the heavens, chaos erupting as they clashed with the gods. But instead of winning through brute strength, they used their wits. They tricked Ares. Captured him. Locked him inside a bronze jar.
And there he stayed. Trapped. Forgotten.
Thirteen long months passed. The mighty god of war, reduced to a prisoner. No battles. No bloodshed. Just silence. Eventually, Hermes—the ever-clever trickster—set him free. Ares was furious, but the giants? They never got to enjoy their victory. The gods tricked them into killing each other.
Ares wasn’t avenged. He didn’t even get his payback. Another battle, another defeat.
Ares and the Trojan War: The Wounded God
Ares picked his side. The Trojans. He fought alongside Aphrodite, Apollo, and Hector. Charging into battle on his chariot, golden-bridled horses carrying him through the fray. Blood spilled. Weapons clashed. He relished the carnage.
But then came Athena.
She didn’t just oppose him—she humiliated him. Again and again. She guided a Greek spear straight into Ares' body, sending him crashing to the ground. His roar shook the battlefield—so loud, it sounded like ten thousand men screaming at once. But nobody feared him. Not really.
He ran. Complained to Zeus. And Zeus? He didn’t care. "You are the most hated of all gods who dwell on Olympus," he said. Ares was left to lick his wounds, his pride shattered.
The war raged on. When his son, Askalaphos, was slain, Ares burned with fury. He wanted revenge. He would charge into battle, ignore Zeus’ orders. But Athena stopped him. Stripped him of his weapons. Forced him to sit. Wait. Obey.
Ares, the god of war, was powerless once more.
Ares vs. Heracles: The Unwanted Son of Zeus
Zeus had many children. But there were two that stood out—Ares and Heracles. One, a full-blooded god. The other, a half-mortal. One, hated by Zeus. The other, his favorite.
They clashed twice. Both times, Ares lost.
The first fight? At Pylos. Ares stood his ground, ready to defend the city. But Heracles was relentless. He struck Ares three times, sending him crashing down each time. A fourth blow pierced his shield, cutting deep into his thigh. The god of war, bleeding. Defeated.
The second time? Ares tried to avenge his son, Kyknos. But fate had already decided—Kyknos would die, and Ares would fail. Again. He charged at Heracles, fury burning in his veins. But Athena was watching. She deflected his attacks, mocked his rage. And when he refused to back down? Heracles stabbed him. Hard.
Ares fell. Humiliated.
His sons, Phobos (Fear) and Deimos (Terror), rushed in, pulling their father onto his war chariot. They fled to Olympus, Ares too wounded to fight. The war god, bested by a mortal.
Ares: Feared but Not Respected
Ares wasn’t the hero of his own myths. He wasn’t the victorious war god people prayed to before battle. He was the chaos of war. The madness. The bloodlust. He was the god of warriors who fought for the sake of violence, not for honor or strategy.
He was war. Pure. Uncontrollable. And often, defeated.
But one thing was certain—wherever war raged, Ares was there.
And he always would be.
Ares at a Glance
- God of: War, Bloodlust, Violence, Chaos
- Parents: Zeus and Hera
- Lover: Aphrodite (yes, while she was married to Hephaestus)
- Children: Eros (Cupid), Phobos (Fear), Deimos (Terror), Harmonia
- Symbols: Spear, Helmet, Dog, Chariot, Boar, Vulture, Flaming Torch
- Sacred Animal: Dog
- Famous Battles: Trojan War, Clash with Heracles, Defeat by Athena
- Famous Defeats: Trapped in a jar by giants, stabbed by Heracles, wounded by Athena
Ares may not have been the most victorious god. But he was war itself. And war? War never really ends.
