Bust of a God at the Wallace Collection, London

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Perhaps a depiction of Mars, the Roman god of war. In ancient Roman religion and myth, Mars was the god of war and also an agricultural guardian, a combination characteristic of early Rome. He was second in importance only to Jupiter and he was the most prominent military god in Roman army religion. Most festivals honoring him were held in March, named after him (Latin Martius), and in October, which marked the start of military campaigning season and end of farming season. Under Greek cultural influence, Mars was identified with the Greek god Ares, whose myths were reinterpreted in Roman literature and art under the name of Mars. However, the character and dignity of Mars differed fundamentally from that of his Greek counterpart, often treated with contempt and revulsion in Greek literature. Mars was part of the Archaic Triad along with Jupiter and Quirinus, the latter a guardian of the Roman people without a Greek equivalent. The altar dedicated to Mars in the Campus Martius, an area of Rome named after him, was supposedly established by Numa, Rome's second king known for his love of peace. Although Mars' center of worship was initially located outside Rome's sacred boundary (pomerium), Augustus made the god a renewed focus of Roman religion by establishing the Temple of Mars Ultor in his new forum. Unlike Ares, who represented destruction and instability, Mars embodied military power as a means to secure peace, and was considered a father (pater) of the Roman people. In Rome's mythic genealogy and founding myths, Mars was the father of Romulus and Remus with Rhea Silvia. His love affair with Venus symbolically reconciled two different traditions of Rome's founding; Venus was the divine mother of hero Aeneas, celebrated as a Trojan refugee who "founded" Rome several generations before Romulus laid out city walls. The significance of Mars in establishing Roman identity within the empire is evident in numerous inscriptions identifying him with local deities, particularly in Western provinces. This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from across the globe for public access. Scan the World is an open source community effort; if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help. Scanned: Photogrammetry (Processed using Agisoft PhotoScan)