Phobos is the god of fear in Greek mythology. He is the son of Ares (god of war) and Aphrodite (goddess of love). He is known for accompanying his father into battle alongside some of his siblings. Deimos (god of terror) is Phobos’s brother and often accompanied Phobos and Ares into battle. Occasionally, Phobos and Deimos are depicted as driving Ares’ chariot. They were usually joined by Eris (goddess of discord).
In classical Greek literature, he was considered to be the personification of fear and does not appear as a character in myths. Since he and his twin brother Deimos are sons of Aphrodite, they are also associated with the fear of loss.
His worship was bloody. Often, his worshippers made sacrifices in his name. In one ancient account, seven warriors slaughter a bull over a shield and swore an oath by Phobos. Phobos is often depicted on shields of heroes as a young boy with a lion’s head. Both Heracles and King Agamemnon had Phobos on their shields. Alexander the Great is said to have prayed to Phobos before a major battle. In this battle, his opponent fled in panic from the battlefield, giving Alexander the victory.
In modern usage, the word “phobia” is derived from Phobos. Additionally, when the moons of Mars were discovered, they were named Phobos and Deimos by astronomer Asaph Hall. Even though Mars is named after the Roman god of war, the moons have Greek names. Phobos is the larger of the two moons.
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