DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49928#0119
PLATE XXXVI.
Figs. 1-5.—Frieze in Low Relief on the “ Nereid
Monument.”
Discovered at Xanthus in Lycia by Sir Charles
Fellows. Now in the British Museum. Lycian Work
OF PROBABLY ABOUT 370 B.C.
Mon. d. Inst, x., Pl. 13, 15, 16.
British Museum Gen. Cat. (1892), p. 29.
Friederichs-Wolters, Gipsabgiisse, No. 913—990.
Overbeck, Gesch. d. gr. Plastik, ii., p. 149.
Murray, Hist. Gk. Sculpt, ii., Pl. 18, p. 203 ff.
Murray, Handbook of Archceology, p. 471.
Mitchell, Hist. Anc. Sculpture, p. 409, 410, figs. 184-185.
Baumeister, Denkmaler, figs. 1221-2-3.
Figs. 1-3 belong to the frieze which decorated the upper part
of the substructure of the monument.
In Fig. 2, the gate of a town is depicted. The besiegers
have placed a ladder against the walls, and three soldiers
followed by others, are mounting. JBeneath the ladder two
soldiers are kneeling with arms raised in the air. They appear
to be pulling chains or ropes fastened to the ladders, doubtless
to prevent the defenders throwing them down. Each of the
kneeling soldiers has a peculiar tool or weapon hanging from
his back, but its object is unknown. The heads of the besieged
can be seen peeping over the walls. Both they and the
attacking soldiers seem to be in Greek dress, and there is
nothing except the unusual length of the soldiers’ shirts
(χιτώνες) to suggest that they are Lydians or Persians.
In Fig. 3, a view is given of the town after its capture,
quite deserted except for the heads of a few soldiers in the
watch towers along the wall. To the right near a gate, a
square pedestal surmounted by statues of two lions with a
sphinx between, seems to be a tomb. The relief is continued
in fig. 1, where a satrap or king is seated on a throne, crowned
with a Persian tiara, holding a sceptre (or spear) and shaded
by an umbrella, held by a youth behind the throne, near
whom are three warriors. In front of the throne stand two
men in Greek civil costume, with hands raised in a gesture of
adoration ff. Pl. 15, fig. 6) which corresponds with the con-
queror’s attitude and costume, which is that*generally given
to gods or deified heroes. The Greeks must be envoys from
the conquered town making their submission. Behind them
are a number of warriors, one of whom is ill-using an unarmed
man, probably one of the conquered.
One of the warriors has a shield with a sort of apron
attached (Pl. 40, fig. 8).
As in the other relief, there is nothing to show that the
soldiers are not Greek, except the long shirt. The tiara,
however, and the umbrella of the seated figure unmistakably
mark him as an Oriental.
It was conjectured by Fellows that the scene represented is
the capture of Xanthus by Cyrus’s general Harpagus (about
545 b.c.), but the style of the relief makes this impossible, for
it cannot be much older than 400 B.c.
The theory that it is rather the siege and capture of
Telmessus by Pericles, prince of Lycia, is more probable. In
that case the Nereid monument would be his tomb.
Figs. 4-5 were on the lower part of the substructure, and
are on larger slabs. They represent incidents in a battle,
but here as in the other frieze it is impossible to determine the
nationality of the combatants.
Fig. 6.—Greek Trophy.
Bceotian Coin, Inscribed ΒΟΙΩΤΩΝ. In British
Museum.
Brit. Mus. Cat. of Gk. Coins, Central Greece, Pl. vi., No. 2.
Guhl and Koner, fig. 287.
Combe, Vet. pop. numi in Mus. Brit. Pl. vi., No. 7.
A trophy (τρότταιον) was a dedicatory offering raised on a
field of battle, where the enemy had been routed, to some
deity. It generally took the form shown, on this coin. A
breastplate was fixed to the stump of a tree, a shield and
sword attached to it and the whole crowned by a helmet on
the end of a spear. An inscription (ε’πιγρα/Λ/ζ,α) recorded
the names of victor and vanquished and the deity to whom
it was dedicated.
7i
Fig. 7.—Anchises and Aeneas.
Polychrome Painting on a White Ground on an Oil-
Flask flecythus') from Gela. In the Navarra Collection
at Terranova. Fifth Century b.c.
Benndorf, Gr. und Sicil. Vasenbilder, Pl. 46, 1.
The remains of the inscriptions, ΛΝΧ—SIE—( = Άι/χ«π7?)
and AINE-A (= Αΐνίας) show that the painting represents
Aeneas leading the aged Anchises from Troy. The painter
has disregarded both the legend that Aeneas carried his father
and the traditional manner of .representing it ff. Pl. 93).
Aeneas is armed with helmet and spear (with pennon
attached) and shield (with a man blowing a trumpet as badge),
and wears a shirt (χ<τών) with a cloak (χλα/χνς) thrown over
it across his shoulders. He also seems to have another cloak
or plaid wrapped round his waist like a kilt.
Fig. 8.—Warriors Playing- Backgammon.
Black-figured Painting on a Vase (amphora) by the
Potter Exekias. Attic, about 550 b.c. From Vulci, in
the Museo Gregoriano, Vatican, Rome.
Mon. d. Inst, ii., Pl. 22.
Klein, Die gr. Vasen mit Meistersignaturen, p. 39 (4).
Panofka, Bilder ant. Lebens, 10, 10.
Overbeck, Gall. her. Bildiu. xiv. 4; p. 310.
Museo Gregoriano, ii. 53.
Baumeister, Denkmdler, p. 684, fig. 744.
BlCmner (trans. Zimmern), Home Life of Anc. Gks., fig. 176.
Engelmann (Anderson), Atlas to Homer, Od. fig. 7.
Achilles (A+lbECG retrograde) and Ajax (AIANTCG
are seated playing a game something like backgammon
(<yC Pl. 78, fig. 6). Achilles shouts “Four” (TE$APA) Ajax,
“Three” (ΤΡΙΑ). Ajax is making his move and Achilles
preparing to follow him.
Both heroes wear loin-cloth, cuirass, greaves, and chlamys
and hold two spears. Their helmets are of the Corinthian
type ff. Pl. 43, fig. 14). Their shields behind them rest
Figs. 1-5.—Frieze in Low Relief on the “ Nereid
Monument.”
Discovered at Xanthus in Lycia by Sir Charles
Fellows. Now in the British Museum. Lycian Work
OF PROBABLY ABOUT 370 B.C.
Mon. d. Inst, x., Pl. 13, 15, 16.
British Museum Gen. Cat. (1892), p. 29.
Friederichs-Wolters, Gipsabgiisse, No. 913—990.
Overbeck, Gesch. d. gr. Plastik, ii., p. 149.
Murray, Hist. Gk. Sculpt, ii., Pl. 18, p. 203 ff.
Murray, Handbook of Archceology, p. 471.
Mitchell, Hist. Anc. Sculpture, p. 409, 410, figs. 184-185.
Baumeister, Denkmaler, figs. 1221-2-3.
Figs. 1-3 belong to the frieze which decorated the upper part
of the substructure of the monument.
In Fig. 2, the gate of a town is depicted. The besiegers
have placed a ladder against the walls, and three soldiers
followed by others, are mounting. JBeneath the ladder two
soldiers are kneeling with arms raised in the air. They appear
to be pulling chains or ropes fastened to the ladders, doubtless
to prevent the defenders throwing them down. Each of the
kneeling soldiers has a peculiar tool or weapon hanging from
his back, but its object is unknown. The heads of the besieged
can be seen peeping over the walls. Both they and the
attacking soldiers seem to be in Greek dress, and there is
nothing except the unusual length of the soldiers’ shirts
(χιτώνες) to suggest that they are Lydians or Persians.
In Fig. 3, a view is given of the town after its capture,
quite deserted except for the heads of a few soldiers in the
watch towers along the wall. To the right near a gate, a
square pedestal surmounted by statues of two lions with a
sphinx between, seems to be a tomb. The relief is continued
in fig. 1, where a satrap or king is seated on a throne, crowned
with a Persian tiara, holding a sceptre (or spear) and shaded
by an umbrella, held by a youth behind the throne, near
whom are three warriors. In front of the throne stand two
men in Greek civil costume, with hands raised in a gesture of
adoration ff. Pl. 15, fig. 6) which corresponds with the con-
queror’s attitude and costume, which is that*generally given
to gods or deified heroes. The Greeks must be envoys from
the conquered town making their submission. Behind them
are a number of warriors, one of whom is ill-using an unarmed
man, probably one of the conquered.
One of the warriors has a shield with a sort of apron
attached (Pl. 40, fig. 8).
As in the other relief, there is nothing to show that the
soldiers are not Greek, except the long shirt. The tiara,
however, and the umbrella of the seated figure unmistakably
mark him as an Oriental.
It was conjectured by Fellows that the scene represented is
the capture of Xanthus by Cyrus’s general Harpagus (about
545 b.c.), but the style of the relief makes this impossible, for
it cannot be much older than 400 B.c.
The theory that it is rather the siege and capture of
Telmessus by Pericles, prince of Lycia, is more probable. In
that case the Nereid monument would be his tomb.
Figs. 4-5 were on the lower part of the substructure, and
are on larger slabs. They represent incidents in a battle,
but here as in the other frieze it is impossible to determine the
nationality of the combatants.
Fig. 6.—Greek Trophy.
Bceotian Coin, Inscribed ΒΟΙΩΤΩΝ. In British
Museum.
Brit. Mus. Cat. of Gk. Coins, Central Greece, Pl. vi., No. 2.
Guhl and Koner, fig. 287.
Combe, Vet. pop. numi in Mus. Brit. Pl. vi., No. 7.
A trophy (τρότταιον) was a dedicatory offering raised on a
field of battle, where the enemy had been routed, to some
deity. It generally took the form shown, on this coin. A
breastplate was fixed to the stump of a tree, a shield and
sword attached to it and the whole crowned by a helmet on
the end of a spear. An inscription (ε’πιγρα/Λ/ζ,α) recorded
the names of victor and vanquished and the deity to whom
it was dedicated.
7i
Fig. 7.—Anchises and Aeneas.
Polychrome Painting on a White Ground on an Oil-
Flask flecythus') from Gela. In the Navarra Collection
at Terranova. Fifth Century b.c.
Benndorf, Gr. und Sicil. Vasenbilder, Pl. 46, 1.
The remains of the inscriptions, ΛΝΧ—SIE—( = Άι/χ«π7?)
and AINE-A (= Αΐνίας) show that the painting represents
Aeneas leading the aged Anchises from Troy. The painter
has disregarded both the legend that Aeneas carried his father
and the traditional manner of .representing it ff. Pl. 93).
Aeneas is armed with helmet and spear (with pennon
attached) and shield (with a man blowing a trumpet as badge),
and wears a shirt (χ<τών) with a cloak (χλα/χνς) thrown over
it across his shoulders. He also seems to have another cloak
or plaid wrapped round his waist like a kilt.
Fig. 8.—Warriors Playing- Backgammon.
Black-figured Painting on a Vase (amphora) by the
Potter Exekias. Attic, about 550 b.c. From Vulci, in
the Museo Gregoriano, Vatican, Rome.
Mon. d. Inst, ii., Pl. 22.
Klein, Die gr. Vasen mit Meistersignaturen, p. 39 (4).
Panofka, Bilder ant. Lebens, 10, 10.
Overbeck, Gall. her. Bildiu. xiv. 4; p. 310.
Museo Gregoriano, ii. 53.
Baumeister, Denkmdler, p. 684, fig. 744.
BlCmner (trans. Zimmern), Home Life of Anc. Gks., fig. 176.
Engelmann (Anderson), Atlas to Homer, Od. fig. 7.
Achilles (A+lbECG retrograde) and Ajax (AIANTCG
are seated playing a game something like backgammon
(<yC Pl. 78, fig. 6). Achilles shouts “Four” (TE$APA) Ajax,
“Three” (ΤΡΙΑ). Ajax is making his move and Achilles
preparing to follow him.
Both heroes wear loin-cloth, cuirass, greaves, and chlamys
and hold two spears. Their helmets are of the Corinthian
type ff. Pl. 43, fig. 14). Their shields behind them rest