"He was red with blood as if he were slaying living men, and he stood in his chariot. Beside him stood Deimos and Phobos, eager to plunge amidst the fighting men."
Hesiod, The Shield of Heracles 191
🏛️ #Ares among Greeks and #Amazons, detail of an Apulian volute krater, 5th century BCE. Today in the National Archaeological Museum Jatta, Ruvo di Puglia.
The villa of the Emperor #Hadrian at Tivoli, called Villa Adriana, is even in ruined condition one of the most spectacular Roman gardens. This statue of a young warrior identified as #Ares used to overlook a lake as one of six statues in a single colonnade.
Intaglio from Roman Caerleon made of red jasper, depicting the Roman war god #Mars.
Mars was usually shown as a warrior carrying shield, spear, and sword whilst wearing armour and a created helmet.
"Where the milky region is set in a tranquil heaven, lay kindly Venus in her bower, whence night had but lately fled, faint in the rough embrace of her Getic lord [Mars]. About the posts and pillows of her couch swarm a troop of tender Amores."
Statius, Silvae 1.2.51
"Oh for a man mighty with the spear to deliver our house, an #Ares, brandishing in the fight the springing Scythian bow and wielding his hilted sword in close combat."
Aeschylus, Libation Bearers 160
🏛️ Ares-Mars statuette, Roman Empire, photo by Carole Madge @followinghadrian
This coin was minted circa 206 CE, during the reign of Caracalla. The obverse depicts the laureate head of Caracalla facing right. The reverse type features #Mars, naked save for cloak hanging from his shoulder, holding a branch and spear.
I wrote a short piece on safe #menstruation tracking apps, expanding on a few tweets I posted at the time #RoevWade was overturned. Incidents of testing women for abortion drugs in the UK prompted me to turn it into an article:
This coin was minted circa 206 CE, during the reign of Caracalla. The obverse depicts the laureate head of Caracalla facing right. The reverse type features #Mars, naked save for cloak hanging from his shoulder, holding a branch and spear.
#HappyHalloween, Fediverse 🎃 #Ares represents many nasty things as the God of War and he begets Fear (Phobos) and Terror (Deimos).
"Warlike #Mars [Ares] invented new modes of strife and a thousand forms of death. From this source streams of blood stained all lands and the sea grew red."
Seneca, Phaedra 540
Isn't it frustrating when a rainbow shows up and you're someplace unattractive, like a fast food parking lot? "Oh good, I can frame it with these overflowing dumpsters in the foreground, that'll be nice." I like this situation better -- already someplace scenic with a camera in my hand, ready to go!
Ares-Mars embraced by his love Aphrodite-Venus with a dog at their feet. The club in his hand is usually part of the iconography of #Herakles so it could also be a fresco depicting #Hercules and Megaera or Deïaneira. Does anyone know if it's Mars of Hercules?
A humourous oil painting of the love of #Mars and #Venus that was created when the artist was only 15 or 16 years old.
Mars ist struck by an arrow in his chest but it is a love arrow 😘
🏛️ Mars, Venus and #Vulcan, by John Singleton Copley. Oil on canvas, dated 1754 CE. Today in the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, USA.
Aphrodite is pouring a libation into the phiale (libation bowl) held by her lover Ares over an altar. A servant or child stands behind her on the left.
🏛️ Attic votive relief of Aphrodite and Ares. Marble. Dated to the 5th century BCE. Today in the National Archaeological Museum in #Venice.