Hey everyone, welcome to Mythology Explained. In today's video, we're going to discuss Ares, the god of War, Zeus' least favourite child, and perhaps the least respected god in the Greek pantheon.

Let's get into it.

Most of Zeus' children were bastards, meaning they were conceived out of wedlock, which is to say that Zeus had a penchant for philandery, gallivanting around and employing all the tricks and tools at his disposal - from cajoling to coaxing to coercing - siring a plethora of illegitimate children, thereby defiling the sanctity of his marriage at every possible opportunity. But it has to be conceded that, despite his many, many offences, he did have some legitimate children that came from his marriage to Hera. Together they had Ares, the god of war, Hebe, a personification of vigor and youthful beauty, described as being a sort of handmaiden to the other Olympians, and Hephaestus, the god of the forge and volcanic fire, though in some versions he was independently produced by Hera, who made him in response to Zeus birthing Athena out the side of his skull.

Almost always portrayed clad in armour, battle ready, sword, spear, and shield equipped, Ares, known as Mars to the Romans, was one of the 12 Olympians and the Greek god of war, but perhaps saying that he was a Greek god of war would be more accurate, for certain aspects of warfare - its defensive and strategic aspects, for example - more so fell beneath Athena's purview, subsumed into her own sphere of influence, though Ares is likely the first name that comes to mind when the phrase Greek god of war is said.

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