Mars is the Greek god of war. He was the son of Juno and Jupiter. He is usually characterised as a youthful and aggressive warrior. He was disliked by most of the gods, with the exception of Venus, who fell in love with him. His attributes are usually a spear, a sword and sometimes a halberd.

His fearsome nature is represented by Rubens in 'Peace and War', but his weapons of war lie abandoned while he dallies with Venus, as in Botticelli's 'Venus and Mars' and Palma Giovane's 'Mars and Venus'.