Ares in popular culture
Encyclopedia
Frequently the figure from Greek mythology
, Ares
appears in contemporary popular culture, as he is the ancient Greek
god of war in the most generally familiar classical mythology
. To provide historic color, the Macedon
ian Phalangites
in the film Alexander
chant "Enyalios" in the Battle of Gaugamela
as they march into battle.
Ares is the name of NASA
's transport ship replacing the Space Shuttle
, an extension of NASA's uses of Saturn for manned rockets
, Mercury for a satellite program
, and the Apollo program, rather than as any reflection of the intrinsic nature of the war god.
In Planet Comics
there was a strip called Mars
God of War, feauturing a character based on Ares under the name of Mars. This character was a villain who took over people's bodies in attempts to cause war.
In pop music English band Bloc Party
recorded a song "Ares" on their third album Intimacy
. Japanese pop artist Gackt
has a song named Ares on his second solo album, Mars (album).
Ares
is a main character in the book series The Underland Chronicles
by Suzanne Collins
. He is a supporting character in the series Percy Jackson and the Olympians
by Rick Riordan
. In John C. Wright's Chronicles of Chaos, he is a major character, an influential faction to be appeased when dealing with the children.
Ares is a regular character in the television series Xena: Warrior Princess
. Portrayed by the late Kevin Tod Smith (credited as Kevin Smith), he is scripted as a conflicted God who is torn between his passionate desire for Xena and his inherent desire to foster war and people's evil nature. The character is one of the more complex of the series. After the fall of the Olympian Gods, Ares is rendered mortal but restores his godhood along back with his sister Aphrodite after having a bite of Odin's apple through Xena's help.
In the short-lived television series Valentine
, Ares was a businessman who went by the name Ari. Initially, he was the villain of the series. He indirectly threatened Kate, refused to give Grace a divorce, and had an antagonistic relationship with Ray. However, he had a positive, albeit awkward, relationship with his son, Danny. As the series progressed, Ari's relationship with Grace improved and he was charged with finding a weapon for his father. Unfortunately, in a battle against Bastet for that weapon, Ari was fatally wounded. Greg Ellis
portrayed Ari and appeared in all eight episodes that aired.
Ares has also become a popular character in comics, spawning distinct versions of the character in both DC Comics
and Marvel Comics
.
when advancing to the Classical Age. Doing so by choosing Ares as patron god provides enhancements for infantry units, the power of pestilence (by which enemy buildings cannot produce units for a period of time) and the mythical cyclops
units.
Ares is the main antagonist, and final boss battle, in the 2005 video game God of War
. In it, Ares runs amok and assails the city of Athens
while challenging the other gods and looking for Pandora's Box
to maximize his power; the other gods enlist the aid of a Spartan named Kratos
(the player), former protégé of Ares, who was tricked by the god to slay his family in the past. Since Zeus forbids the gods to fight each other, Kratos searches for Pandora's Box, which gives him the power to rival a god. Ares is slain by Kratos, who takes his position as "God of War". Ares reappears in the 2007 video game God of War II
during a flashback
near the beginning. Ares remains are seen in the 2010 video game God of War III
as one of Kratos
' battles takes place over Ares' ice tomb. His remains are seen in the ice. Ares also appears in a flashback in the 2010 video game God of War: Ghost of Sparta
where it is shown that he kidnapped Kratos' brother Deimos as a prophecy foretold the demise of Olympus was to come by a marked warior. Zeus and Ares believed the warrior to be Deimos because of his unusual birthmark, but the prophecy actually referred to Kratos, as Kratos marked himself with a tattoo in the shape of his brothers birthmark to honor him.
Ares is also a playable character in Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
following his takeover of Harchester United F.C.
and merger with Terry Silver and his Dynatox Industries.
Ares is also the final boss in Spartan: Total Warrior
.
Similar Deities in Non-Greek Cultures
Archetype Characteristics
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
, Ares
Ares
Ares is the Greek god of war. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. In Greek literature, he often represents the physical or violent aspect of war, in contrast to the armored Athena, whose functions as a goddess of intelligence include military strategy and...
appears in contemporary popular culture, as he is the ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
god of war in the most generally familiar classical mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
. To provide historic color, the Macedon
Macedon
Macedonia or Macedon was an ancient kingdom, centered in the northeastern part of the Greek peninsula, bordered by Epirus to the west, Paeonia to the north, the region of Thrace to the east and Thessaly to the south....
ian Phalangites
Phalanx formation
The phalanx is a rectangular mass military formation, usually composed entirely of heavy infantry armed with spears, pikes, sarissas, or similar weapons...
in the film Alexander
Alexander (film)
Alexander is a 2004 epic film based on the life of Alexander the Great. It is not a remake of the 1956 film which starred Richard Burton. It was directed by Oliver Stone, with Colin Farrell in the title role...
chant "Enyalios" in the Battle of Gaugamela
Battle of Gaugamela
The Battle of Gaugamela took place in 331 BC between Alexander the Great and Darius III of Persia. The battle, which is also called the Battle of Arbela, resulted in a massive victory for the ancient Macedonians and led to the fall of the Achaemenid Empire.-Location:Darius chose a flat, open plain...
as they march into battle.
Ares is the name of NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
's transport ship replacing the Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
, an extension of NASA's uses of Saturn for manned rockets
Saturn (rocket family)
The Saturn family of American rocket boosters was developed by a team of mostly German rocket scientists led by Wernher von Braun to launch heavy payloads to Earth orbit and beyond. Originally proposed as a military satellite launcher, they were adopted as the launch vehicles for the Apollo moon...
, Mercury for a satellite program
Mercury (satellite)
MERCURY is reportedly the name of a series of three United States spy satellites launched in the 1990s. These satellites were launched and operated by the National Reconnaissance Office with the participation of the United States Air Force. Two of the three launches from Cape Canaveral were...
, and the Apollo program, rather than as any reflection of the intrinsic nature of the war god.
In Planet Comics
Planet Comics
Planet Comics was a science fiction comic book title produced by Fiction House and ran for 73 issues from January 1940 to Winter 1953. Like many of Fiction House's early comics titles, Planet Comics was a spinoff of a pulp magazine, in this case Planet Stories, which featured space operatic tales...
there was a strip called Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
God of War, feauturing a character based on Ares under the name of Mars. This character was a villain who took over people's bodies in attempts to cause war.
In pop music English band Bloc Party
Bloc Party
Bloc Party are a British Indie rock band, composed of Kele Okereke , Russell Lissack , Gordon Moakes , and Matt Tong...
recorded a song "Ares" on their third album Intimacy
Intimacy (Bloc Party album)
Intimacy is the third studio album by British indie rock band Bloc Party. It was recorded in two weeks at several locations in London and Kent during 2008 and was produced by Paul Epworth and Jacknife Lee. Inspired by the release options available in the Internet age, the band members made the...
. Japanese pop artist Gackt
Gackt
is a Japanese singer-songwriter, actor, voice actor and author. Usually referred to by his mononymous stage name, he is known for his career as a solo artist and as the former vocalist for the defunct visual kei rock band Malice Mizer....
has a song named Ares on his second solo album, Mars (album).
Ares
Ares (Hercules and Xena)
Ares is a character on the television shows Xena: Warrior Princess, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Young Hercules. He was portrayed by New Zealand actor Kevin Tod Smith...
is a main character in the book series The Underland Chronicles
The Underland Chronicles
The Underland Chronicles is a five-part series of fantasy novels by Suzanne Collins, first published between 2003 and 2007. It tells the story of a boy named Gregor and his adventures in a land called the "Underland", hidden under New York City...
by Suzanne Collins
Suzanne Collins
Suzanne Collins is an American television writer and novelist.-Early life:Suzanne Collins is the daughter of an Air Force officer. She graduated from the Alabama School of Fine Arts and earned her M.F.A. from New York University in Dramatic Writing....
. He is a supporting character in the series Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Percy Jackson & the Olympians is a pentalogy of adventure and fantasy fiction books authored by Rick Riordan. The series consists of five books, as well as spin-off titles such as The Demigod Files and Demigods and Monsters. Set in the United States, the books are predominantly based on Greek...
by Rick Riordan
Rick Riordan
Richard Russell "Rick" Riordan, Jr. is an American author best known for writing the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. He also wrote the Tres Navarre mystery series for adults and helped to edit Demigods and Monsters, a collection of essays on the topic of his Percy Jackson series...
. In John C. Wright's Chronicles of Chaos, he is a major character, an influential faction to be appeased when dealing with the children.
Ares is a regular character in the television series Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess is an American–New Zealand supernatural fantasy adventure series that aired in syndication from September 4, 1995 until June 18, 2001....
. Portrayed by the late Kevin Tod Smith (credited as Kevin Smith), he is scripted as a conflicted God who is torn between his passionate desire for Xena and his inherent desire to foster war and people's evil nature. The character is one of the more complex of the series. After the fall of the Olympian Gods, Ares is rendered mortal but restores his godhood along back with his sister Aphrodite after having a bite of Odin's apple through Xena's help.
In the short-lived television series Valentine
Valentine (TV series)
Valentine is a romantic comedy/drama television series created by Kevin Murphy, who also serves as executive producer alongside Courtney Conte. The show is produced by Media Rights Capital. It premiered on October 5, 2008 at 8:00pm on The CW Television Network and Citytv in Canada and after four...
, Ares was a businessman who went by the name Ari. Initially, he was the villain of the series. He indirectly threatened Kate, refused to give Grace a divorce, and had an antagonistic relationship with Ray. However, he had a positive, albeit awkward, relationship with his son, Danny. As the series progressed, Ari's relationship with Grace improved and he was charged with finding a weapon for his father. Unfortunately, in a battle against Bastet for that weapon, Ari was fatally wounded. Greg Ellis
Greg Ellis (actor)
Greg Ellis is an English actor known for his TV, movie, and video game voice over work. He has appeared in films such as the Pirates of the Caribbean series, the 2009 Star Trek film , Titanic, Beowulf, To End All Wars, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith...
portrayed Ari and appeared in all eight episodes that aired.
Ares has also become a popular character in comics, spawning distinct versions of the character in both DC Comics
Ares (DC Comics)
Ares is a fictional character, a supervillainous God appearing in DC Comics publications and related media. Based upon the Greek mythological figure of the same name, he is the god of War and one of the major adversaries of Wonder Woman. He first appeared in Wonder Woman #1, volume 1, published in...
and Marvel Comics
Ares (Marvel Comics)
Ares is a fictional character, a deity in the Marvel Comics Universe based on the Greek god of the same name. He first appears in Thor #129 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
.
In video games
Ares is eligible in Age of MythologyAge of Mythology
Age of Mythology , is a mythology-based, real-time strategy computer game developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios...
when advancing to the Classical Age. Doing so by choosing Ares as patron god provides enhancements for infantry units, the power of pestilence (by which enemy buildings cannot produce units for a period of time) and the mythical cyclops
Cyclops
A cyclops , in Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, was a member of a primordial race of giants, each with a single eye in the middle of his forehead...
units.
Ares is the main antagonist, and final boss battle, in the 2005 video game God of War
God of War (video game)
God of War is an action adventure video game for the PlayStation 2 first released by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division in March 2005...
. In it, Ares runs amok and assails the city of Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
while challenging the other gods and looking for Pandora's Box
Pandora's box
Pandora's box is an artifact in Greek mythology, taken from the myth of Pandora's creation around line 60 of Hesiod's Works and Days. The "box" was actually a large jar given to Pandora , which contained all the evils of the world. When Pandora opened the jar, all its contents except for one item...
to maximize his power; the other gods enlist the aid of a Spartan named Kratos
Kratos (God of War)
Kratos is a video game character from Sony Computer Entertainment'sGod of War series, which is loosely based on Greek mythology. Kratos first appeared in the highly successful video game God of War , which led to the development of five additional games featuring the character as the protagonist...
(the player), former protégé of Ares, who was tricked by the god to slay his family in the past. Since Zeus forbids the gods to fight each other, Kratos searches for Pandora's Box, which gives him the power to rival a god. Ares is slain by Kratos, who takes his position as "God of War". Ares reappears in the 2007 video game God of War II
God of War II
God of War II is an action-adventure video game released for the PlayStation 2 by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division in March, 2007....
during a flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
near the beginning. Ares remains are seen in the 2010 video game God of War III
God of War III
God of War III is an action-adventure video game released by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division for the PlayStation 3 in March 2010...
as one of Kratos
Kratos (God of War)
Kratos is a video game character from Sony Computer Entertainment'sGod of War series, which is loosely based on Greek mythology. Kratos first appeared in the highly successful video game God of War , which led to the development of five additional games featuring the character as the protagonist...
' battles takes place over Ares' ice tomb. His remains are seen in the ice. Ares also appears in a flashback in the 2010 video game God of War: Ghost of Sparta
God of War: Ghost of Sparta
God of War: Ghost of Sparta is an action-adventure game developed by Ready at Dawn and SCE Santa Monica Studio and released by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation Portable in November 2010.Loosely based on Greek mythology and focused on protagonist Kratos, the game forms part of a saga...
where it is shown that he kidnapped Kratos' brother Deimos as a prophecy foretold the demise of Olympus was to come by a marked warior. Zeus and Ares believed the warrior to be Deimos because of his unusual birthmark, but the prophecy actually referred to Kratos, as Kratos marked himself with a tattoo in the shape of his brothers birthmark to honor him.
Ares is also a playable character in Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 is an association football video game in the Pro Evolution Soccer series by Konami. The game was officially announced on 18 June 2007...
following his takeover of Harchester United F.C.
Harchester United F.C.
Harchester United Football Club was a fictional Premier League football club from the Midlands, featured in the television series Dream Team...
and merger with Terry Silver and his Dynatox Industries.
Ares is also the final boss in Spartan: Total Warrior
Spartan: Total Warrior
Spartan: Total Warrior is a spin-off action game of the Total War series, developed by The Creative Assembly and published by Sega. It was released on Xbox, PlayStation 2 and GameCube...
.
See also
- Ares Wikipedia PageAresAres is the Greek god of war. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. In Greek literature, he often represents the physical or violent aspect of war, in contrast to the armored Athena, whose functions as a goddess of intelligence include military strategy and...
Similar Deities in Non-Greek Cultures
- BritanniaBritanniaBritannia is an ancient term for Great Britain, and also a female personification of the island. The name is Latin, and derives from the Greek form Prettanike or Brettaniai, which originally designated a collection of islands with individual names, including Albion or Great Britain. However, by the...
- Kathleen Ni HoulihanKathleen Ni HoulihanKathleen Ni Houlihan is a mythical symbol and emblem of Irish nationalism found in literature and art, sometimes representing Ireland as a personified woman. The figure of Kathleen Ni Houlihan has also been invoked in nationalist Irish politics...
- LibertyLiberty (goddess)Goddesses named for and representing the concept Liberty have existed in many cultures, including classical examples dating from the Roman Empire and some national symbols such as the British "Britannia" or the Irish "Kathleen Ni Houlihan"....
- MarsMars (mythology)Mars was the Roman god of war and also an agricultural guardian, a combination characteristic of early Rome. He was second in importance only to Jupiter, and he was the most prominent of the military gods worshipped by the Roman legions...
- NergalNergalThe name Nergal, Nirgal, or Nirgali refers to a deity in Babylon with the main seat of his cult at Cuthah represented by the mound of Tell-Ibrahim. Nergal is mentioned in the Hebrew bible as the deity of the city of Cuth : "And the men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal"...
, Babylonian godBabylonian religionBabylonian religion is the religious practice of the Babylonians, from the Old Babylonian period in the Middle Bronze Age until the rise of the Neo-Assyrian Empire in the Early Iron Age....
associated with the planet Mars - Tyr, a NorseNorse mythologyNorse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
god of war - List of War Deities
Archetype Characteristics
- AggressionAggressionIn psychology, as well as other social and behavioral sciences, aggression refers to behavior between members of the same species that is intended to cause humiliation, pain, or harm. Ferguson and Beaver defined aggressive behavior as "Behavior which is intended to increase the social dominance of...
- CourageCourageCourage is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation...
- BoldnessBoldnessBoldness is an opposite of being shy. A bold person may be willing to risk shame or rejection in social situations, and willing to bend rules of etiquette or politeness. An excessively bold person could aggressively ask for money, or persistently push a person to fulfill some request, and so on...
- Divine lawDivine lawDivine law is any law that in the opinion of believers, comes directly from the will of God . Like natural law it is independent of the will of man, who cannot change it. However it may be revealed or not, so it may change in human perception in time through new revelation...
- FreedomFreedom-Philosophy:* Free will, the ability to make choices* Political freedom, in the context of the relationship of the individual to the state* Economic freedom-Computing:...
- MasculinityMasculinityMasculinity is possessing qualities or characteristics considered typical of or appropriate to a man. The term can be used to describe any human, animal or object that has the quality of being masculine...
- Righteous indignationRighteous indignationRighteous indignation is typically a reactive emotion of anger over perceived mistreatment, insult, or malice. It is akin to what is called the sense of injustice. In some Christian doctrines, righteous indignation is considered the only form of anger which is not sinful, e.g., when Jesus drove the...
External links
- Ares Archetype Facebook Page
- Theoi Project, Ares information on Ares from classical literature, Greek and Roman art.
- Greek Mythology Link, Ares summary of Ares in myth