The main Roman gods and goddesses were ‘adopted’ from the Greeks with a few tweaks, nonetheless, they are interesting characters. Here are a few fun facts about the Roman god Mars:

1. Mars was the god of war.

Mars was mostly revered as the Roman god of war, representing the elements of combat, violence, and aggression, while the Goddess Minerva represented the strategic aspect of war.

2. His sons founded Rome.

According to Roman mythology, Mars was the father of the twin brothers Romulus and Remus, who founded the city of Rome. Mars was also thought of as the protector of Rome.

3. He was pretty much the same as the Greek god Ares.

Mars was based on the Greek god Ares, who stood for the elements of battle and conflict. Both gods were depicted as strong warriors, but Mars was a more important god in the Roman pantheon than Ares in the Greek pantheon.

4. The planet Mars is named after him.

The Roman god is the source of the name Mars, the fourth planet in our solar system from the Sun. Ancient Romans astronomers named the planet after Mars because of its reddish colour, which they associated with bloodshed and conflict.

5. Mars was a son of Jupiter and Juno.

It was once thought that Jupiter, the king of the gods, and Juno, their queen, were the parents of Mars. His standing in the Roman Pantheon was even more impressive because of his illustrious family history.

6. His symbol was the ancile (a sacred shield).

Mars’s emblem was the Ancile, a holy shield that was deeply connected to him. The shield, which represented protection and fighting prowess and was thought to have fallen from heaven and Rome would be safe as long as the shield didn’t leave the city. Eleven copies of the shield were made by priests to thwart thieves.

7. Mars was fooled into marrying an old goddess disguised as Minerva.

In a Roman myth, Anna Perenna, the elderly goddess of New Year and Time, disguised herself as Minerva, the goddess of war and knowledge by wearing a veil, and seduced Mars into becoming her husband. Although Mars was a fierce warrior, in mythology he was also shown to be gullible and unobservant at times.

8. The month of March is named after him.

March was a fitting month to pay homage to the god of war because it was the start of the military campaign season in classical Rome. In the Roman calendar, March was the first month of the year.

9. The woodpecker was a symbol of Mars.

Mars’ favourite bird was a woodpecker. The woodpecker was sacred to Mars because it was courageous and could take down a tree with its strong beak.

10. He was the patron of soldiers.

Mars was regarded as the patron god of armies and warriors since he was the god of battle. Roman soldiers made offerings to Mars before battle so he would help them win and protect them.

We hope you enjoyed these fun facts. If you are teaching about Ancient Roman Gods and Goddesses, check out our primary resource below!