Greek Pantheon: Ares

Among the Olympian gods, Ares occupies a uniquely volatile position. He is the Greek god of war, but not war in the strategic or heroic sense celebrated by poets and generals. Ares represents the raw violence of battle — the surge of blood, the roar of clashing shields, the chaos that erupts when human anger spills into war.

Where other deities embody wisdom, law, or order, Ares is the god of conflict unrestrained. He personifies the primal forces that accompany warfare: rage, courage, panic, brutality, and the intoxicating pull of combat.

To the Greeks, Ares was both feared and necessary.

Birth of the War God

Ares is the son of Zeus, king of the gods, and Hera, queen of Olympus. Despite his divine lineage, Ares never enjoys the respect granted to many of the other Olympians. Ancient writers often portray Zeus himself as irritated by his son’s reckless nature.

In Homer’s Iliad, Zeus openly calls Ares the most hateful of the gods to him, accusing him of loving war and strife above all else. This tension reflects the Greek cultural discomfort with war’s destructive side. Unlike Athena, who represents strategy and disciplined combat, Ares embodies the violent frenzy of battlefields.

Yet his presence in myth reveals an uncomfortable truth: war cannot exist without chaos, and that chaos has its own divine face.

Ares in the Trojan War

Ares appears prominently in Homer’s Iliad, where he fights on the side of the Trojans. His participation in the war is impulsive and emotional. Unlike Athena, who plans carefully and advises heroes, Ares throws himself into combat with ferocity.

At one point, he is wounded by the Greek hero Diomedes, aided by Athena herself. When Ares returns to Olympus in pain, Zeus rebukes him harshly, reminding him that reckless violence often leads to humiliation.

This episode highlights the contrast between controlled warfare and uncontrolled aggression — a theme central to Ares’ mythology.

The Lovers: Ares and Aphrodite

Despite his reputation for brutality, Ares is also known for his passionate relationship with Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Their affair is one of the most famous scandals in Greek myth.

Aphrodite was married to Hephaestus, the god of the forge. When he discovered her infidelity, he crafted a nearly invisible net of bronze and trapped the lovers together in bed, exposing them to the ridicule of the other gods.

This myth juxtaposes two powerful forces: love and war. Their union produces several children who embody aspects of both realms:

• Eros (passionate desire)

• Harmonia (harmony born from conflict)

• Phobos (fear)

• Deimos (terror)

Through these figures, Greek myth suggests that love and conflict are deeply intertwined within the human experience.

Ares and the Amazons

Ares is frequently associated with the Amazons, the legendary warrior women of Greek myth. In some traditions, he is described as their father, emphasizing his connection to fierce independence and martial skill.

The Amazons represented a society where combat and strength defined their identities, aligning closely with Ares’ untamed nature. Their presence in myth underscores the idea that the war god’s influence extends beyond individual battles to entire cultures shaped by warfare. 

The Trial on the Hill of Ares

One myth gives Ares an unexpected connection to law and justice. When the son of Poseidon assaulted Ares’ daughter Alcippe, Ares killed him in retaliation. Poseidon demanded justice, and Ares was brought before a council of the gods to stand trial.

The trial took place on a hill in Athens that would later be called the Areopagus, or “Hill of Ares.” The gods ultimately acquitted him, establishing one of the earliest mythical precedents for trial by jury. 

This story reveals that even the god of war must answer to law and consequence, even if it was deemed a justified kill. Go dad!

Ares and the Greek View of War

Unlike many cultures that glorified war gods, the Greeks often portrayed Ares as reckless and destructive. He was worshipped, but rarely loved. Temples to Ares existed, yet his cult remained smaller than those of Athena or Zeus.

This reflects a philosophical insight embedded in Greek myth: war is sometimes unavoidable, but its violence should not be celebrated without caution.

Ares reminds humanity of the cost of conflict.

Symbols and Sacred Animals

Ares is associated with several powerful symbols drawn from battlefield imagery:

• The Spear and Shield – weapons of close combat

• The Helmet – warrior identity

• The Vulture and Dog – animals that follow battlefields

• Fire and Blood – the destructive energy of war

His sacred colors are often depicted as deep red, bronze, and black, reflecting blood, armor, and scorched earth.

Crystals and Stones Aligned With Ares

In modern metaphysical interpretation, Ares resonates with stones that embody strength, courage, discipline, and controlled aggression.

Carnelian – boldness, vitality, helps promote a warrior's courage
Red Jasper – grounded strength in conflict
Garnet – passion, determination, blood, and resilience
Bloodstone – protection in battle and moral courage
Hematite – grounding intense emotions and maintaining control
Pyrite – confidence and strategic leadership
Obsidian – confronting anger and shadow honestly

These stones are often used in situations that require bravery, protection, and emotional discipline during confrontations or battles (emotional or physical).

Ares as Archetype – The Warrior Within

Psychologically, Ares represents the instinct to fight when threatened. This impulse is neither wholly good nor wholly evil — it is part of survival.

Healthy expressions of Ares include:

• Defending oneself or others

• Standing up to injustice

• Channeling anger into purposeful action

• Confronting fear directly

When uncontrolled, however, the same energy becomes destructive rage.

The Meaning of Ares Today

Ares continues to resonate because conflict remains a fundamental part of human life. Whether in personal struggles, social movements, or literal warfare, the energy of confrontation cannot be ignored.

The lesson of Ares is not that war is glorious, but that strength must be balanced with awareness.

His myth carries a stark reminder:

Power without discipline destroys everything around it.
But courage, guided wisely, can protect what matters most.

Ares stands on the battlefield of myth not as a hero or villain, but as the embodiment of a force humanity must constantly learn to master.