#GOD OF WAR GREEK MYTHOLOGY SKIN#

The sacrifices became incorporated into the strong cult of Ares in the city, and in that region dogs were associated with the god of war. It was traditional for the boys of the militant city to sacrifice a puppy before entering into ritual fights. In Sparta, another animal was symbolic to Ares for a particularly gruesome and heartbreaking reason. He gifted the birds to his daughters, the Amazons. The Birds of Ares were vicious creatures with dart-like feathers they could shoot from their tails. The other birds mentioned in connection to the god were of a more fantastic type. The presence of carrion birds was, of course, a common sight in the aftermath of a bloody battle. Vultures, for example, were sometimes seen in images that included Ares. These, too, reflected his position as the destructive god of war. Occasionally, an animal or other imagery was used as a God of War Symbol for Ares. Images of Ares and Aphrodite together were a popular motif, especially in later time periods and into the Roman era, and the context made his identity apparent even when shown with no weapons whatsoever. The easiest images of Ares to identify were, paradoxically, those that didn’t feature his usual attributes. If the figure is shown without the context of a specific event or the other gods, it could be that of a hero or even a common soldier. One of the problems this presents for historians is that it is sometimes difficult to identify images of Ares. He usually had a helmet and sometimes carried a shield, but he could be shown fully armored or completely nude. Sometimes he carried a spear, while at other times he held a sword. The armor and weapons of a Greek soldier were his most common symbols.Įven in this, the portrayal of Ares was never fixed. The god of war was most often shown without any identifying features besides the tools of his trade. Athena had her owl and aegis, Poseidon carried his trident, and Apollo was shown with his lyre and bow.Ĭompared to these gods, Ares had a much less distinct iconography.

#GOD OF WAR GREEK MYTHOLOGY SKIN#

Heracles, for example, was commonly shown wearing the skin of the Nemean Lion as a protective cloak. They were associated with specific animals, symbols, and even modes of dress. Many of the gods of Greece had complex and detailed iconography. So why was the iconography of Ares so limited? The answer lies in the attitudes the Greek people had toward him and the war he represented. He was generally shown in a very basic way, with the armor and weapons of a common Greek soldier.Ī spear or sword is certainly an understandable symbol for a war god, but they do little to set his image apart from that of any other fighting figure. This is because Ares was the one god of the Greek pantheon that had no real symbolism associated with his worship. He was the god of war, but most people would struggle to think of a single symbol that would identify him. The mention of Ares, however, does not usually conjure up such a strong mental image. Hermes, for example, was always shown with his famous hat and winged sandals. When you think of many of the gods of Greece, certain images and symbols immediately come to mind.

God of war greek mythology