Mars was the God of war in Roman mythology. Mars became the God of war after the Romans came into contact with Greek culture. They gave him many characteristics of the Greek God of War, Ares. In time; Romans associated Mars principally with war only. Before going into battle, Roman troops offered sacrifices to him. After winning battle they gave Mars a share of their spoils. The word Martial, which means warlike, is based on the god’s name. The planet Mars is named after him. Mars is the only planet whose surface can be seen in detail from the earth. Artists show Mars in armor and wearing a crested helmet. The wolf and woodpecker were associated with Mars. His love affair with Venus, the Roman goddess of love became a popular subject for poets and painters.
 
Mars is known as ‘Mangal’ in the Indian system of astrology. It is a male, dry planet and signifies stamina, courage, ambition, desire, weapons, and immovable property. It is the god of war and bravery. It rules over the physical force of the native. Mars’s position in any sign reflects the affairs, which arouse one’s desire. Mars rules physical energy and efforts. It describes the strength and direction of the physical force that drives ego, fires emotions, and encourages mental endeavors and communicative skills. Mars rules the action principle, hence its position in the houses of the horoscope indicate areas, in which action is expressed forcefully.

Mars is the representative of the masculine protector in women’s horoscopes i.e. before marriage brother and after marriage husband. Mars also protects through the timely surgery of a wound through a surgeon. It shows the area, where the native must exert energy and initiative to gain success. Mars also rules over treachery, crime and violence. In the physical world it rules over iron and iron weapons. Mars has chief rule over ambition and strategic thinking, the thinking which is used to win wars and conquer others. Mars also rules over aggressiveness and impulsiveness. Hence when ill dignified, it causes a person to be impulsive and hasty at arriving at decisions, which may seem foolish sometimes. Action without tempering with wisdom is bound to backfire.
His color is deep or bright red .Mars is known as ‘Lesser Misfortune’, where as Saturn is known as ‘greater Misfortune’. Mars is the God of force and energy. Mars is considered the Commander in chief of the celestial armies. . Mars represents one’s strength and he holds the rank of Commander in Chief in the Planetary Cabinet. His stature is high and he has a blood red complexion; Kartikeya represents it. It is of masculine gender having the predominance of Fire. It is of Kshatriya Varna having the predominance of Tamsik Gunas.
The planet Mars is represented by a symbol of a circle with an arrow jutting from it. The circle refers to the bounded potential, a portion of the divine absolute in its primordial essence contained in the personality of the incarnating ego. The arrow projecting from the storehouse of divine energy represents human efforts containing that spiritual essence directed to some spiritual purpose. The urge to breakup the shell, the outer crust of the spirit represented by the circumference is the chief characteristic of Mars. The symbol of Mars symbolizes that matter has risen over spirit that means destruction has risen over creation; hence its chief motivation is destruction. Mars itself rules over preservation and destruction. Mars preserves or protects through bravery of the strong to protect the weak. Mars rules over the sign of Aries and sympathetically over sign of Scorpio (along with Pluto). And is exalted in the sign of Capricorn. It is debilitated in the sign of Cancer .He is known as ‘Rudra Roop’ in Hindu mythology. Mars when ill dignified or afflicted causes one to be cruel, angry, dictating, and arrogant. Mars in its highest and exalted Form represents the supreme bravery, courage, and protection of weak. Hence when well-positioned causes one to be brave, protector of weak, opposed to injustice and magnanimous and generous. Archetypal Mars is young male force - testosterone driven aggression. (Saturn and Jupiter are the mature male archetypes.) Mars never looks before he leaps is courageous, reckless, and driven by his passions.  In Astrology Mars has come to represent the aggressive principle.  Mars indicates active energy patterns - “get up and go”, and also reveals how we get what we need into our life. It is the inner Warrior energy.

Mars and Saturn are considered malefic planets. Mars and Saturn appearing in a significant relationship in the sky are supposed to herald bad events on earth.
The position of Mars in the signs of the zodiac gives idea about the characteristics mode of action, as denoted by the desire principle. The sign position of Mars also tells us about, what form the impulsive emotional behavior of native will take. As opposed to Neptune, who rules over unifying principle of solvent, Mars rules over critical, differentiating principle Mars has also rule over wounds and burns.
In men’s horoscopes, it rules over what a man will do for his wife and in woman’s horoscope, it shows what type of man or husband a woman desires.
Mars’s diseases   are fevers, tumors, smallpox, toothache, headache, and ulcers. Mars rules over Mechanical Engineering.
Mars is more powerful in fire sign and decidedly weak in Air signs. It is also strong in earth signs except Taurus, where it is in detriment. But it is weak in water signs, except in Scorpio, where it co-rules. Mars rules over soldiers, police officers, surgeons, butchers, chemists and dentists. Mars along with Jupiter rules blood. Friendly planets are sun, Jupiter, Moon, Venus and Ketu and enemy planet are Mercury, Saturn and Rahu.
Mars’s stone is ‘Coral’ or “moonga’’.Mars metal is copper.In numerology Mars vibrates to the number 9.Tuesday is associated with Mars. The direction of mars is southward. Mars is a star planet and of pale red color.

 MARS IN DIFFERENT HOUSES

1st house:  Red-eyed; reddish complexion; suffers (bleeding) wounds.
2nd House: Owns land; son takes to agriculture.
3rd House: Has four brothers; good natured; ever comfortable.
4th House: Bereft of comfort and wealth; Loss of Wife.
5th house: Bereft of sons; if wife has mars in lagan, he becomes childless certainly.
6th House: prone to A dharma; illness and enmity toward others.
7th House: Ill-natured and ill-tempered wife.
8th House: Sinner; killer; bereft of good nature and truthfulness.
9th House: wealthy; begets a son in old age.
10th House: Comforts, conveyances, money.
11th House: Famous in king’s court; dignified; handsome.
12th House: Hurts all, including his mother.

The inherent nature of a planet undergoes modifications depending upon the sign it is located in. The following is a brief account of the indications given by

MARS IN DIFFERENT SIGNS

Aries:  Truthful; bold; eager for battle; endowed with fame and wealth; good speech; liked by all; blessed with cattle and agricultural produce; easily angered; and associates with many women.
Taurus: Many enemies; few comforts; foul –tongued; a sinner; singer; tends to corrupt virtuous women.
Gemini: Big family; good looking; knows many subjects; poet; sculptor; religiously inclined; inclined to go abroad.
Cancer: Lives and eats in the house of others; sickly; miserable; earns from land and water- related pursuits.
Leo: Valorous; poor; frequents forests; undertakes strenuous work; intolerant; likes hunting; irreligious tendencies; tends to loose his first wife.
Virgo: Wealthy large family; sweet tongued; learned; spend thrift; religiously inclined; frightened by enemies.
Libra: Wanderer; speaker; good looking; loves his wife; preceptors and friends; likely to loose his first wife.
Scorpio: Conqueror; truthful; leader of a gang of thieves; tormentor of foes; sustains injury from poison, fire or weapon.
Sagittarius: High status; weakened from injuries by weapons; bitter tongued; inclined towards hard labor; disrespectful to his preceptors and elders.
Capricorn: leader of an army; a king; courageous in battle; earns through his personal efforts; resides in his own country.
Aquarius: Sickly; opposed to his own people; lack humility; liar; jealous unfortunate; having a hairy body.
Pisces: Humiliated by his own people; disrespectful to Brahmins and preceptors; sickly; wicked; residing abroad; enjoys being praised.

Inauspicious placement of Mars –Manglic Dosha:
Mars Dosha is said to be present in a Natal chart when Mars is placed in 1st ,2nd, 4th, 7th, 8th, 12th houses .This adverse propensity is also called Manglic Dosha in some parts of India. 1st house indicates self, 2nd house family, 4th for family comforts, 7th for spouse, 8th for longevity and death of an individual where as 12th house represents pleasures of bed, sleeping comforts, foreign connections ,etc. So in the presence of Mars in any of the houses ,Mars being a natural malefic is termed as Manglic dosha. Mars being a fiery planet, when badly placed or disposed, destroys the domestic harmony, culminating in widowhood, separation, or divorce.