The Greek counterpart of the Roman god Mars is Ares.
Ares is the Greek god of war and one of the Twelve Olympians, traditionally the son of Zeus and Hera. Greek literature often portrays him as the violent, impulsive side of warfare, associated with bloodshed and battlefield fury. He is frequently contrasted with Athena, whose martial role emphasizes strategy, discipline, and defensive intelligence.
Roman writers identified Ares with Mars, but the two gods were not identical in character or importance. Mars held a more honored place in Roman religion: he was not only a war god but also a guardian of agriculture and a legendary father of Romulus and Remus. Roman culture later blended many stories and artistic features of the two deities.
Ares is commonly mixed up with Hephaestus, the divine smith, and Hermes, the messenger god. His famous myths include an affair with Aphrodite and a humiliating trap devised by Hephaestus. The planet Mars received its name from the Roman deity, while the Greek name Ares supplied the names Phobos and Deimos for Mars’s moons.