Mars Uncovered
- Mar 26, 2019
- 1 min read
Updated: Jan 23, 2023
Bettany Hughes investigates the enduring relationship between warfare and worship, by following the trail through time of the ancient god of war, Mars. She begins in Carthage, site of one of the most significant and bloodiest victories in the history of the Roman Empire and explores the vital role of Mars in Rome's imperial expansion.
Visiting the British Museum, Bettany sees, at first hand, the earliest known evidence of human warfare - a 13,000-year-old graveyard in which many of the bodies showed signs of violent deaths. With bodies so carefully buried, Bettany asks if ritualising and celebrating war is a way of bringing societies together – of creating 'them' and 'us'.
Back in North Africa, at the spectacular Roman amphitheatre in El Djem, Bettany examines the symbolic role of the ‘ludi martiales’, or gladiatorial games, and finds out about the challenge posed by early Christianity to this celebration of war and ritualised death. Travelling to Jordan, she then tells the story of one of the bloodiest episodes in Crusader history and examines how the Christian notion of Holy War played out in practice, with Mars still very much a presence. She then tracks how the figure of Mars was used by artists such as Botticelli and Rubens to examine the inevitability of war, and whether peace might not proffer a better option. Following the World Wars, the red scare, and contemporary conflict in the Middle East, Bettany considers how Mars’s dominion has been sustained and asks whether the benefits of war still outweigh the horrors.
MORE INFORMATION AND EPISODE AVAILABILITY
UK: More info here
US: Watch here
Canada: Watch here
In the game Traffic Jam 3D, the outcome is influenced by every decision made while driving, necessitating precision in order to avoid collisions and flee traffic jams.
The examination of the Crusades and how 'Holy War' played out is a sobering read. It highlights how complex and often contradictory interpretations of belief systems can be. It reminds me a bit of how fascinating ancient codes are; I was just looking at how the Caesar cipher works the other day and the simple cleverness behind it.
The way this article traces Mars's influence from ancient Rome to Botticelli and Rubens really shows how enduring certain archetypes are in art and culture. It makes me appreciate how different artistic styles can convey such profound themes. I've been playing around with a Ghibli AI tool recently, and it's incredible how it captures that unique aesthetic in new images.
What a fascinating journey through history, connecting Mars to art and war. It makes you think about how images and appearances shape our perceptions. If you're ever curious about how different styles can transform something, you should play around with a hairstyle AI sometime; it's wild how it can change a whole look.
The parallels between ancient warfare and modern conflict, driven by this 'them' and 'us' mentality, are striking. It reminds me how compelling simple, fundamental challenges can be. Sometimes I unwind from deep thoughts like this by playing a quick game of blockblast, where the rules are clear but strategy is key.