Parents: Zeus and Hera

Story: Ares was the god of war, representing its brutal and violent side. Unlike Athena, who embodied strategy and honor in battle, Ares thrived on bloodshed and chaos. He was disliked by nearly all the other Olympians, including his own parents Zeus and Hera. His most famous relationship was his secret love affair with Aphrodite, which was exposed when Hephaestus trapped them together in an unbreakable golden net for all the gods to see. Despite being a god of war, Ares was actually defeated in battle several times, including by Athena and even by mortal heroes.

Ares in the Trojan War: During the Trojan War, Ares fought on the side of Troy. He was a fearsome presence on the battlefield, but even he was not invincible. The Greek hero Diomedes, with Athena's help, managed to wound Ares with a spear. The god of war screamed so loudly that it sounded like ten thousand men shouting at once, and he fled back to Mount Olympus to complain to Zeus. Zeus had no sympathy, telling Ares that he was the most hateful of all the gods and that he would have been cast into Tartarus long ago if he weren't his son.

Ares and Aphrodite: The love affair between Ares and Aphrodite was one of the worst-kept secrets on Olympus. Aphrodite was married to Hephaestus, but she was drawn to the wild, powerful Ares. When Helios, the sun god, spotted the two together and told Hephaestus, the master craftsman forged an unbreakable golden net so fine it was invisible. He set the trap over his own bed and pretended to leave. When Ares and Aphrodite lay together, the net snapped shut, trapping them for all the gods to see. The gods laughed, but Ares and Aphrodite were unashamed, and their affair continued. Together they had several children, including Eros (in some versions), Phobos (Fear), and Deimos (Terror).

Symbol: Spear, shield, helmet, vulture, wild boar.

Represents: War, violence, bloodshed, and courage in battle.