Mars (Andras): What You Might Not Know
When the infant Romulus, the founder of Rome and son of Mars, was carried off in a basket of reeds down the Tiber River—intended to be drowned—he ended up on a shore beneath the fig tree, Ficus Ruminalis. Unable to care for himself, a she-wolf appeared and nursed him as her own. She was not alone, however; a woodpecker, a bird of prophecy, accompanied her.
Both the wolf and the woodpecker are sacred animals to Mars. While Mars is commonly associated with war, the woodpecker also signifies his prophetic role. The woodpecker, known for its oracular abilities, was said to land on a sacred wooden pole dedicated to Mars, where it would offer prophecies.
Moreover, Mars, before his association with the Greek god Ares, was primarily an agricultural deity. In fact, Cato the Elder invokes him as Mars Silvanus in his treatise on agriculture, referring to him as Mars of the Woods (or Mars of the Fields). Additionally, the woodpecker, sacred to Mars, was known as a "doctor" of trees, keeping them healthy and free from disease.
Later, Romulus was discovered by Faustulus, a swineherd, who took him in and entrusted him to his wife, Larentia, who was also known as Dea Dia, a goddess associated with fertility and agriculture. As Romulus grew, he founded the Arval Brotherhood—a group dedicated to the worship of Dea Dia and agriculturalism. According to Plutarch, only the priests of Mars, however, could officiate the rites dedicated to Larentia.
A hymn to Mars reads as follows:
Help us, Lares!
Marmar, let not plague or ruin attack the multitude.
Be filled, fierce Mars. Leap the threshold! Halt, wild one.
By turns, call on all the gods of sowing.
Help us, Marmor!
Triumph!
Marmar is an archaic name for Mars, used in certain hymns. Mars is not only a warrior god; he also drives off ruin and plague, protecting the fields and ensuring fertility. His connection to leaping, seen in both the hymn and his priesthood, reflects the god's dynamic nature—his role in both warfare and the protection of agriculture.
A common theme in Indo-European mythology is the story of the young man (or men) cast out to find his own way, often leading to the founding of an empire. Mars is the god who rules over these men—those who carve out their own destiny. Strabo recalls that during a famine, the Sabines realized that although they had dedicated their excess crops to Mars the previous year, they had neglected to dedicate their sons to him. To alleviate the famine, they dedicated their young men to Mars and sent them out as colonists. Mars is thus linked not only with warriors but also with the founding of colonies and the alleviation of famine.
In conclusion, Mars is indeed the god of war, protection, and colonialism. But he is also a god of agriculture, prophecy, and the founding of cities. His multifaceted nature reflects the Romans' deep understanding of the interconnectedness of warfare, survival, and prosperity.
When the infant Romulus, the founder of Rome and son of Mars, was carried off in a basket of reeds down the Tiber River—intended to be drowned—he ended up on a shore beneath the fig tree, Ficus Ruminalis. Unable to care for himself, a she-wolf appeared and nursed him as her own. She was not alone, however; a woodpecker, a bird of prophecy, accompanied her.
Both the wolf and the woodpecker are sacred animals to Mars. While Mars is commonly associated with war, the woodpecker also signifies his prophetic role. The woodpecker, known for its oracular abilities, was said to land on a sacred wooden pole dedicated to Mars, where it would offer prophecies.
Moreover, Mars, before his association with the Greek god Ares, was primarily an agricultural deity. In fact, Cato the Elder invokes him as Mars Silvanus in his treatise on agriculture, referring to him as Mars of the Woods (or Mars of the Fields). Additionally, the woodpecker, sacred to Mars, was known as a "doctor" of trees, keeping them healthy and free from disease.
Later, Romulus was discovered by Faustulus, a swineherd, who took him in and entrusted him to his wife, Larentia, who was also known as Dea Dia, a goddess associated with fertility and agriculture. As Romulus grew, he founded the Arval Brotherhood—a group dedicated to the worship of Dea Dia and agriculturalism. According to Plutarch, only the priests of Mars, however, could officiate the rites dedicated to Larentia.
A hymn to Mars reads as follows:
Help us, Lares!
Marmar, let not plague or ruin attack the multitude.
Be filled, fierce Mars. Leap the threshold! Halt, wild one.
By turns, call on all the gods of sowing.
Help us, Marmor!
Triumph!
Marmar is an archaic name for Mars, used in certain hymns. Mars is not only a warrior god; he also drives off ruin and plague, protecting the fields and ensuring fertility. His connection to leaping, seen in both the hymn and his priesthood, reflects the god's dynamic nature—his role in both warfare and the protection of agriculture.
A common theme in Indo-European mythology is the story of the young man (or men) cast out to find his own way, often leading to the founding of an empire. Mars is the god who rules over these men—those who carve out their own destiny. Strabo recalls that during a famine, the Sabines realized that although they had dedicated their excess crops to Mars the previous year, they had neglected to dedicate their sons to him. To alleviate the famine, they dedicated their young men to Mars and sent them out as colonists. Mars is thus linked not only with warriors but also with the founding of colonies and the alleviation of famine.
In conclusion, Mars is indeed the god of war, protection, and colonialism. But he is also a god of agriculture, prophecy, and the founding of cities. His multifaceted nature reflects the Romans' deep understanding of the interconnectedness of warfare, survival, and prosperity.
