Mars (mythology) 47221 224185929 2008-07-07T18:38:59Z Synthebot 3658625 robot Adding: [[scn:Marti (divinitati)]] {{for|the fourth planet from the sun|Mars}} [[Image:Velázquez - Marte.jpg|thumb|||''Mars'', painting by Diego Velazquez]] '''Mars''' was the [[Roman mythology|Roman]] [[warrior]] [[God (male deity)|god]], the son of [[Juno (mythology)|Juno]] and [[Jupiter (mythology)|Jupiter]], husband of [[Bellona (goddess)|Bellona]], and the lover of [[Venus (mythology)|Venus]]. He was the most prominent of the [[military]] gods that were worshipped by the [[Roman legions]]. The martial Romans considered him second in importance only to Jupiter. His [[festivals]] were held in [[March]] (named for him) and October. As the word ''Mars'' has no [[Proto-Indo-European language|Indo-European]] derivation, it is most likely the [[romanization|Latinised]] form of the agricultural [[Etruscan mythology|Etruscan]] god [[Maris]]. Initially the Roman god of [[fertility]] and [[vegetation]] and a protector of cattle, fields and boundaries, Mars later became associated with battle as the growing [[Roman Empire]] began to expand, and he was [[interpretatio graeca|identified]] with the [[Greek mythology|Greek]] god [[Ares]]. Unlike his Greek counterpart, Mars was generally well liked and rivaled Jupiter as the most honoured god. He was also the [[tutelary]] god of the city of Rome. As he was regarded as the legendary father of Rome's founder, [[Romulus and Remus|Romulus]], it was believed that all Romans were descendants of Mars. ==Names and epithets== [[Image:Antoninianus Aemilianus-RIC 0015.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Mars celebrated as peace-bringer in this coin struck under [[Aemilianus]].]] Mars was called '''Mavōrs''' in some poetry ([[Virgil]] VIII, 630), and '''Mamers''' was his [[Oscan language|Oscan]] name. He was also known as '''Marmor''', '''Marmar''' and '''Maris''', the latter from the Etruscan deity [[Maris]]. Like other major Roman deities, Mars had a large number of [[epithet]]s representing his different roles and aspects. Many of Mars's epithets resulted from mythological [[syncretism]] between Mars and foreign gods. The most common and significant of these included: *'''Mars Alator''', a fusion of Mars with the Celtic deity [[Alator]] (possibly meaning "Huntsman" or "Cherisher"), known from inscription found in [[England]], on an altar at [[South Shields]] and a silver-gilt votive plaque at [[Barkway]], [[Hertfordshire]]. <ref>Phillips, E.J. (1977). ''Corpus Signorum Imperii Romani'', ''Great Britain, Volume I, Fascicule 1''. ''Hadrian's Wall East of the North Tyne'' (p. 66). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-725954-5.</ref><ref name="Ross">Ross, Anne (1967). ''Pagan Celtic Britain''. Routledge & Kegan Paul. ISBN 0-902357-03-4.</ref> *'''Mars Albiorix''', a fusion of Mars with the ancient Celtic deity [[Toutatis]], using the epithet ''Albiorix'' ("King of the World"). Mars Albiorix was worshiped as protector of the Albici tribe of southern France, and was regarded as a mountain god. Another epithet of Toutatis, ''Caturix'' ("King of Combat"), was used in the combination '''Mars Caturix''', which was worshipped in [[Gaul]], possibly as the tribal god of the [[Caturiges]].<ref name="Green"/> *'''Mars Balearicus''', statues of a warrior discovered in the [[Mallorca]] Island, associated by the [[archaeologist]]s to the Roman god Mars [http://www.agendamallorca.net/monograficos/pagina.en.html?cIte=2836]. *'''Mars Barrex''', from ''Barrex'' or ''Barrecis'' (probably meaning "Supreme One"), a Celtic god known only from a dedicatory inscription found at [[Carlisle]], England.<ref name="Ross"/> *'''Mars Belatucadrus''', an epithet found in five inscriptions in the area of [[Hadrian's Wall]] in England, based on equating the Celtic deity [[Belatu-Cadros]] with Mars. *'''Mars Braciaca''', a synthesis of Mars with the Celtic god Braciaca. This deity is only known from a single inscription at [[Bakewell]], England.<ref name="Ross"/> *'''Mars Camulos''', from the Celtic war god [[Camulus]]. *'''Mars Capriociegus''', from an [[Iberians|Iberian]] god who was linked to Mars. He is invoked in two inscriptions in the [[Pontevedra]] region of north-west Spain. *'''Mars Cocidius''', a combination of Mars with the Celtic woodland hunting god [[Cocidius]]. He is referenced around north-west [[Cumbria]] and Hadrian's Wall, and was chiefly a war god only in instances where he was equated with Mars. *'''Mars Condatis''', from the Celtic god of the confluence of rivers, [[Condatis]]. Mars Condatis, who oversaw water and healing, is known from inscriptions near Hadrian's Wall, at [[Piercebridge]], [[Bowes]] and [[Chester-le-Street]].<ref name="Ross"/><ref>Jones, Barri & Mattingly, David (1990). ''An Atlas of Roman Britain'' (p. 275). Oxford: Basil Blackwell. ISBN 1-84217-067-8.</ref> *'''Mars Corotiacus'''. A local British version of Mars from Martlesham in [[Suffolk]]. He appears on a bronze statuette as a cavalryman, armed and riding a horse which tramples a prostrate enemy beneath its hooves. <ref name="Green">Miranda J. Green. "Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend" (p. 142.) Thames and Hudson Ltd. 1997</ref> *'''Mars Gradivus''', God of War. *'''Mars Lenus'''. A fusion of Mars with the Celtic healer-god [[Lenus]]. In the main cult centre of the god, the indigenous name always comes first (Lenus Mars), an indication that Lenus was an established god, with whom Mars was later equated. <ref name="Green"/> *'''Mars Loucetius'''. A fusion of Mars with the Celtic god [[Loucetius]]. *'''Mars Mullo'''. A fusion of Mars with the Celtic god [[Mullo (god)|Mullo]] *'''Mars Nodens'''. A fusion of Mars with the Celtic god [[Nodens]]. *'''Mars Ocelus'''. A fusion of Mars with the Celtic god [[Ocelus]]. *'''Mars Olloudius'''. A fusion of Mars with the Celtic god [[Olloudius]]. *'''Mars Rigisamus'''. Mars was given this title (which means 'Greatest King' or 'King of Kings') in at [[West Coker]] in [[Somerset]], where a bronze figurine and inscribed plaque dedicated to the god were found in a field, along with the remains of a building, perhaps a shrine. The figurine depicts a standing naked male figure with a close-fitting helmet; his right hand may have once held a weapon, and he probably originally also had a shield (both are now lost). The same epithet for a god is recorded from [[Bourges]] in [[Gaul]]. The use of this epithet implies that Mars had an extremely high status, over and above his warrior function. *'''Mars Rigonemetis''' ("King of the Sacred Grove"). A dedication to Rigonemetis and the [[numen]] (spirit) of the Emperor inscribed on a stone was discovered at [[Nettleham]] ([[Lincolnshire]]) in 1961. Rigonemetis is only known from this site, and it seems he may have been a god belonging to the tribe of the [[Corieltauvi]]. <ref name="Green"/> *'''Mars Segomo'''. A fusion of Mars with the Celtic god [[Segomo]]. *'''Mars Teutates'''. A fusion of Mars with the Celtic god Teutates ([[Toutatis]]). *'''Mars Thinesus'''. A form of Mars invoked at [[Homesteads]] at [[Hadrian's Wall]], where his name is linked with two goddesses called the [[Alaisiagae]]. [[Anne Ross (Archaeologist)|Anne Ross]] associated Thinesus with a sculpture, also from the fort, which shows a god flanked by goddesses and accompanied by a goose - a frequent companion of war gods. <ref name="Green"/> *'''Mars Visucius'''. A fusion of Mars with the Celtic god [[Visucius]]. *'''Mars Vorocius'''. A Celtic healer-god invoked at the curative spring shrine at [[Vichy]] ([[Allier]]) as a curer of eye afflictions. On images, the god is depicted as a Celtic warrior. <ref name="Green"/> ==Notes== * The Latin declension of the Name is {| class="wikitable" |- ! '''Nominative''' | Mar || '''–s''' |- ! '''Genitive''' | Mar || '''–tis''' |- ! '''Dative''' | Mar || '''–ti''' |- ! '''Accusative''' | Mar || '''–tem''' |- ! '''Vocative''' | Mar || '''–s''' |- ! '''Ablative''' | Mar || '''–te''' |- |} The name's word stem is therefore "Mart-", hence the adjective ''martian'' (martianus). * The name Mars survives in everyday use in reference to military or extraordinary circumstances, such as [[martial arts]] or [[martial law]]. * The common forename or surname Martin (also spelt Martyn, Martijn and Marten, amongst other ways, in different languages) derives from Mars with the meaning ''dedicated to Mars'' or ''man of Mars''. * The third day of the week in Roman times was dedicated to Mars: ''Martis Dies'' (''Tuesday'', literally ''Mars' Day''). It has survived in the Romanic languages as ''Martes'' (Spanish), ''Mardi'' (French), ''Martedi'' (Italian), ''Marţi'' (Romanian), ''An Mháirt'' (Irish/Gaelic), ''Dimarts'' (Catalan). : In the [[Thai solar calendar]], Tuesday is named for Mars from a [[Pali]] word that also means "Ashes of the Dead".[[http://www.thai-language.com/id/131679]] The colour associated with the day is [[Scarlet (color)|Scarlet]]. : In many languages [[Tuesday]] is named for the planet Mars or the God of War: See [[Days_of_the_week#Planetary|Days of the Week Planetary table.]] Also known as the marsmon named after him *The month of [[March]] is inspired by this god's name. ==Photo gallery== <gallery> Image:Ares villa Hadriana.jpg Image:Ares Canope Villa Adriana.jpg Image:Mini-Roman Bronze Mars.jpg </gallery> ==See also== {{Commons|Mars (god)}} * [[Nergal]] * [[Aphrodite]] * [[Tuesday]] * [[Tyr]] * [[Ares]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.angelfire.com/empire/martiana/mars/index.html Mars in Roman Religion] {{Template:Roman religion}} [[Category:Deities in the Aeneid]] [[Category:Roman gods]] [[Category:War gods]] [[Category:Tutelary]] [[Category:Agricultural gods]] [[Category:Animal gods]] [[bn:মার্স]] [[bs:Mars (bog)]] [[br:Meurzh (doue)]] [[bg:Марс (бог)]] [[ca:Mart (mitologia)]] [[cs:Mars (mytologie)]] [[da:Mars (gud)]] [[de:Mars (Mythologie)]] [[el:Μαρς]] [[es:Marte (mitología)]] [[eo:Marso (dio)]] [[fr:Mars (mythologie)]] [[gl:Marte (deus)]] [[ko:마르스]] [[hi:मार्स]] [[hr:Mars (mitologija)]] [[ia:Marte (mythologia)]] [[is:Mars (guð)]] [[it:Marte (divinità)]] [[he:מרס (מיתולוגיה)]] [[ka:მარსი (ღმერთი)]] [[kw:Meurth (dyw)]] [[la:Mars (deus)]] [[lt:Marsas (mitologija)]] [[lij:Marte (divinitæ)]] [[mk:Марс (бог)]] [[nl:Mars (mythologie)]] [[ja:マルス (ローマ神話)]] [[no:Mars (gud)]] [[nn:Guden Mars]] [[oc:Mart (dieu)]] [[pl:Mars (mitologia)]] [[pt:Marte (mitologia)]] [[ro:Marte (zeu)]] [[ru:Марс (мифология)]] [[scn:Marti (divinitati)]] [[simple:Mars (mythology)]] [[sk:Mars (boh)]] [[sl:Mars (bog)]] [[sr:Марс (митологија)]] [[fi:Mars (jumala)]] [[sv:Mars (mytologi)]] [[tr:Mars (mitoloji)]] [[uk:Марс (міфологія)]] [[zh:玛尔斯]]