Basilica of Mars

Mars was the second-most potent god in the Roman pantheon after his father, Jupiter. War was at the heart of Roman imperialism and its governing deity Mars was crucial to the state’s expansionist ideals. He was rightly greatly revered and worshipped. A whole month, March, was put aside for his festivals, marking the beginning of the Roman year. Father of Romulus and Remus, Mars was associated with the very birth of Rome and thus Romans saw themselves as his children. Octavian built a temple to Mars, rather than Jupiter, on the Capitol in Rome to celebrate the overthrowing of Julius Caesar’s murderers. The Roman army believed Mars marched before them, so homage had to be paid to ensure success in battle.