The God Mars

Mars is one of the oldest of the Roman gods, and is perhaps the most Roman in that his worship was not as affected by foreign practices. The origin of the name is uncertain, with the most ancient forms of the name being "Maurs", "Mavors", and "Marmar", which were later contracted to "Mars".

History of the God

Mars was initially a god of springtime and fertility before he was a god of war. The first god Romans (and Italians) recognised as the chief of all the divinities, he was associated with Jove (who later became top god) and Quirinus. These three shared an ancient sanctuary housed in the Regia in the Roman forum.

Although often associated with the Greek Ares, Mars is separate. Not a bellacose bringer of war like Ares Mars is instead the protector of the Roman people, in agriculture as well as in war. Additionally, in the Roman tradition Mars was conceived by the Queen of Heaven alone. According to Ovid Mars was conceived by Juno via a flower with fertile properties which the goddess Flora obtained for her.

He was the protector of agriculture who lived in forests and mountains. The first month of the Roman calendar, Martius, which originally began on the vernal equinox, honored the god and marked the annual return of life to the Earth, as this was the season for planting crops.

For a time Mars was both an agricultural and military deity, thus symbolizing the duality of the Roman citizen as both farmer and soldier. Eventually, Mars transferred his agricultural duties to Ceres and Liber, and his chief concern became that of protecting the Roman state in war, much as among mortals the defense of the state passed out of the hands of a militia -- temporarily raised from the agrarian citizenry to meet an immediate threat -- and instead became the responsibility of a huge standing army of professional soldiers. As god of war Mars was accompanied by the goddess Bellona.

Cult Activity

The sacrarium of Mars stood on the Palatine Hill in the Roma Quadrata of Romulus, and this is where his sacred spears and shields, the symbolic armory of the Roman state, were kept. At first there was only one shield, dropped from the sky by Mars to the second Roman king Numa Pompilius as a token of his benevolence, but in order to insure against theft or destruction, Numa had eleven identical shields made. The twelve shields were then placed under the stewardship of the Salii, a college of twelve priests created by Numa for that purpose. The Salii ("jumpers"), who served both Quirinus and Mars, derived their name from the procession through the streets of the city which they completed by jumping the entire way and singing the Carmen Saliare. Primitively the rites of the Salii were intended to protect the growth of plants. Mars' own priest was called the flamen Martialis. In the Regia on the Forum Romanum, the hastae Martiae ("lances of Mars") were kept. When these lances moved, it was seen as a portent of war. Whenever war broke out, it was the consul's ceremonial duty to shake the sacred spears and shout "Mars vigila!" ("Mars, wake up!").

Festivals

All activity of the Martian cult was confined to the warmer months, because this was the season of both growth and warfare. The most important Martian festivals were celebrated in late winter and in the spring. The Quirinalia was celebrated on the 17th day of Februarius, the supposed day on which Romulus ascended to heaven. The Feriae Marti was celebrated on the Kalends of Martius, which on the original form of the Roman calendar was the first day of the year. The Equirriae were two festivals celebrated early in the year, on 27th of Februarius and the 14th of Martius. The name Equirria indicates horse racing, and of course horses were bred and used in Rome chiefly for military purposes. Thus the Equirriae can be understood as exercises of the war horses, accompanied with sacrifices to Mars, preparatory to the opening of the season of arms. The Quinquatria occurred on the 19th day of Martius, when both Minerva and Mars were worshipped. The sacred shields, or ancilia, were carried in procession by the Salii on several occasions during the month of Martius up to the 23rd day, when the military trumpets (tubae) were ceremonially cleansed (Tubilustrum). The Ambervalia, celebrated on the 29th day of Maius, was another festival of purification, in which Mars appeared as an agricultural god. The festival of Mars was celebrated on 1 Junius, followed by the festival of Bellona two days later. Minerva and Mars were again celebrated on the Minor Quinquatrus, occurring on the 13th of Junius. The month of Octobris was also sacred to Mars. A third equestrian festival, the Equus October, was observed on the 15th day of Octobris. The Armilustrium was held on 19 Octobris, and on this day the weapons of the soldiers were ritually purified and stored for winter. Every five years the Suovetaurilia was held. During these fertility and cleansing rites, a pig (sus), a sheep (ovis) and bull (taurus) were sacrificed. During the four months of the Italian winter, the worship of Mars was at a standstill.