In ancient Roman religion and myth, Mars (Latin: Mārs, [maːrs]) 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 of the military gods in the religion of the Roman army. He is equivalent to the Greek god of war known as Ares.

Most of his festivals were held in March, the month named for him (Latin Martius), and in October, which began the season for military campaigning and ended the season for farming. Through the month of March the Roman god Mars was given sacrifices or sacrificed to.

And via the ritual called suovetaurilia or suovitaurilia being one of the most sacred and traditional rites of Roman religion: the offering of a pig (sus), a sheep (ovis) and a bull (taurus) was sacrificed unto to the deity Mars.

After taking off the portion of meat which belonged to gods (deities), the people feasted and held a banquet on the rest of the meat that was sacrificed.

To keep the honor and reverence of the Roman god of war into memory, remembrance, and ritual practice, and also pass down the reverence of this Roman god as an inheritance to the coming generation, the Romans decided to include Mars (the god of war and agriculture) in the Gregorian calendar as the month of March.

Under the influence of Greek culture, Mars was identified with the Greek god Ares, whose myths were reinterpreted in Roman literature and art under the name of Mars being the month of March on the Gregorian calendar.