Prescribed sources Flashcards
What does the Red figure kylix Persian and Greek fighting look like?
circular image on the inside of a Kykix which depicts a Greek fighting a Persian.
the Greek is dominant as he is central and towers over the submissive Persian
Information about the red-figure kylix
Date: 5th century BC
Material: Earthenware
Original location: Athens
Current location National Museum of Scotland
Significance: Depiction of Persian warrior by Greek vase painter
In the manner of: Triptolemus painter
Visual details of red-figure kylix
Persian is in a submissive gesture
Person wears distinctive hat and patterned clothing and has a bow & quiver (famed archers) but he is forced to use his sword [typical]
Greek in fewer clothes with distinctive helmet and circular shield. He has a sword raised ready to kill the Persian [typical]
What does the south frieze of the temple of Athena Nike from the Acropolis (Athens) look like?
depicts the Greeks fighting the Persians at the Battle of Platea
The greeks are beating the Persians
Marble frieze which has been chipped away at over time
Information about the South frieze
Date: 5th century BC
Material: Pentelic marble
Original location; Athens Acropolis
Current location: sections in the British Museum
Significance: battle between Greeks and Persians by Greek sculptor
Visual details about the South frieze
Persian has very foreign looking shield (curved and not circular)
Greek figure is entirely nude and muscular (heroic, natural, humble)
Persian drapery doesn’t fit: no flow (unnatural, cluttered - cocky)
Greek is in the position of power
Interesting points about the South frieze
Very centrally located so people will see it => propaganda (intentionally designed to convince Greeks of Greek power) -> inaccurate representation of Persians as weak (massive empire, military force etc.)
Battle of Platea represents Greek unity (propaganda)
What does the attic red figure kylix of Achilles and Penthesilea look like?
Two Greek warriors (one= Achilles) and two Amazon women (one= Penthesilea)
the other Amazon = looking at us (unusual)
the other Greek= standing with shield, spear and sword
Achilles towers over Penthesilea as she supplicates him but they make eye contact
The other
Information about the attic red figure kylix
Date: 5th century BC
Material: Earthenware
Original location: Athens
Current location: Munich
Significance: depiction of Greek and Amazon by Greek vase painter (Penthesilea painter)
Visual details on kylix
Both Amazons wear shirt tunics and the other Amazon has distinctive patterned clothes (unnatural)
Greeks wear little clothing (heroic, humble, natural)
The gaze of the other Amazon would have slowly emerged as the Greek drank : unsettling
What does the red-figure bell-krater look like?
Achilles chasing Penthesilea across the outside of the krater.
Achilles’ sword is raised about to kill Penthesilea
They make eye contact
Idea of movement from L-R and rept. rhythm
Visual details on the bell-krater
Achilles is depicted in the heroic nude (natural etc.)
Penthesilea wears the distinctive short tunic and patterned design with her hat
Achilles = typically Greek with his helmet, spear and shield
Penthesilea = typically Persian with crescent shield and axe weapon
Information about the bell-krater
Date: 5th century BC
Material: Earthenware
Original location: Lucania (S Italy)
Current location: National Archaeological Museum, Spain
War: Trojan War
What does the frieze of temple of Apollo Bassae look like?
Amazon fighting a Greek and the Amazon is (for once) overpowering the Greek who struggles to defend himself
Information about the Frieze at Apollo temple
Date: 5th century BC
Material: Marble
Original location: Bassae at temple dedicated to Apollo
Current location: British Museum
By: Greek sculptor
Visual details on frieze at Bassae
Amazon has different hat and flowing clothing (woman-like) with typically ‘barbarian’ half-moon shaped shield
Greek has exposed chest (still idea of nudity even though clothed)
Amazon in position of power over Greek (unique)
Interesting facts about frieze at temple of Apollo
Amazon in position of power (unusual for Greek sculptor)
Greeks saw that they had something in common with Amazons and had respect/ fascination due to shared military prowess
What does the Gate of all Nations look like?
Enormous gate with winged bulls that have human heads
Capitals of columns that have different decorations (bulls, lions and griffins)
Information about Gate of all Nations (and Eastern Staircase)
Date: 5th/ 6th century BC
Material: Stone
Location: Persepolis, Iran
Visual details on the Gate of all Nations
Winged bulls perhaps suggestive of power and beauty
Inscription on gate in Persian, Babylonian and Elamite (“Ahuramazda built the earth. Xeroxes built the gate in the favour of Ahuramazda”)
Capitals on the columns show detail and effort
there are friezes or heroic combat between man and a animal and images of the king
Interesting facts about Gate of all Nations
Greeks say Persians = barbaric and uncivilised but they built highly impressive structures
What does the eastern staircase show?
shows people from 23 different delegations bringing gifts to Persian king
Visual details on eastern staircase
Differences in each delegations (some wear trousers and bring horses, others others bring vowels of metal) suggests breadth of empire
Interesting facts about eastern staircase
Greeks say Persians obsessed with hierarchy and they build staircase depicting hierarchy in society
What does the Cyrus’ cylinder look like?
small, barrel shaped piece of clay covered in cuneiform writing
the text is fragmentary
Information about Cyrus’ cylinder
Date: 6th century BC
Material: baked clay
Original location: Babylon
Current location: goes on tour
Significance: foundation deposit describing the conquest of Babylon by Cyrus the king of Persia
Visual details on Cyrus’ cylinder
Cyrus states genealogy and and power as king and describes his liberation and rule over Babylonians
According to the text, Cyrus took Babylon peacefully with help and support of people. He liberated them from their past, domineering ruler (who “did more every to his city every day”)
Cyrus restored Babylonian gods (echoed in Bible where Cyrus allowed Jews to rebuild temple in Jerusalem and returned Jewish treasures)
Religious tolerance may have been pragmatic approach to maintaining power -> less likely to revolt
“I am Cyrus […] great king, the powerful king […] great king”
Emphasise multicultural nature of empire and stresses breadth
Cyrus is also showing off- he liberated them
What does the statue of Darius I look like?
Headless statue of Darius standing in a powerful position
Information about statue of Darius
Date: 5th century BC
Material: Greywacke sandstone
Original location: First erected in Egypt but then brought to Susa in 5th century
Current location: National Museum, Tehran
Significance: depiction of Persian king as ruler of Egypt, only free-standing statue from ancient Persia
Visual details on statue of Darius
King wears a shirt sword (akinakes) in an elaborately embroidered sword belt
Persian king depicted wearing elaborate clothing with long, luxuriant beard
Darius exploited power of image (stands in a strong and tall pose to show power as king and authority)
Inscription on bottom in hieroglyphics state that Darius was the ruler of Persia and the ruler of Egypt
Base also has list of all countries subject to Persian king in hieroglyphics
What does the rock relief at Bisitun look like?
scene depicting Darius and the rebel kings he defeated (in a low relief)
Information about the rock relief in Bisitun
Date: 6th/ 5th century BC
Material: Relief carved into a limestone cliff face
Original location: Bisitun, Iran
Significance: Commemorates the victory of Darius over Gaumata and the nine rebel kings
Visuals details about the rock relief
Contains an inscription of 3 languages (old Persian, Elamite and Akkadian) - useful for deciphering languished and then translating lost works
Figure above= Ahuramazda (god and protector of Persian kings). He faces Darius to show he affirms his kingship
Darius= dominant over rebel kings
Inscription tells story of how Darius defeated conspirators and how he is an Archaemenid (therefore has the right to rule Persia)
Each rebel king has different hair/features/clothes/hats to show they are from different areas (show breadth of who the Persians conquered)
Rock relief demonstrating power and command
What does the head of the young Persian prince look like?
Blue face of a prince with crown and hair
Information about the young Persian prince
Date: 6th century
Material: lapis lazuli
Original location: Persepolis
Current location: National Museum of Iran
Significance: sculpture from a rare material showing influence of Greek sculptors
Visual details of the Persian prince
Show influence of earlier Egyptian art and Greek sculpture
Stylised eyebrows, oval eyes and tight curls of hair = features of Greek sculptures
Tight curls perhaps suggestive of control?
Use of lapis shows breadth of empire as lapis found near Greece (Persian empire expanded to wide areas uber time)
Semi-precious lapis was sought after and traded across the ancient world
to commemorate or memorial?
What does the silver rhyton look like?
Silver rhyton ending in a griffin
Has accents of gold
Information about silver rhyton
Date: 5th century BC
Material: Gold, silver
Original location: Erzincan, Turkey
Current location: The British Museum
Significance: beautiful example of Persian luxury tableware, showcasing metalwork skills: rhyton shape metalwork also seen in Greek tableware
Visual details of silver rhyton
animal headed rhyton common amongst Greek pottery
Influenced from similar Persian vessels made from silver and gold
Standard of carving is very high (winged griffins are beautiful in sculpture)
Gold detailing has been added to the face and wings of the griffin and to the floral decorations around the rim
What does the gold armlet with griffins from Oxus Treasure look like?
Gold armband with two griffins on top
Gaps where jewels would’ve been extravagant
Information about the gold armlets
Date: 5th/4th century BC
Material: gold (originally inlaid with coloured glass, fainece and semi-precious stones)
Original location: River Oxus, Tajikistan
Current location: the British Museum
Significance: beautiful example of Persian artistic skill
Visual details on gold armlet
Persian armband -> show Persian artistic skill
Herodotus says Persians “wore most decorations”
Gold-> show Persian metal working skill
Griffins have gaps with jewels => extravagant
What does the naked youth look like?
Silver youth standing upright on a podium with a gold hate
Information of the statuette of a naked youth from Oxus Treasure
Date: 5th/4th Centruy BC
Material: gold
Original location: River Oxus, Tajikistan
Current location: British Museum
Significance: small, possibly votive statute showing influence of Greek sculpture
Visual details of statuette
Similarities to pose of a Greek bronze statue of Apollo
Nudity, pose and facial features suggest Greek but he is wearing a Persian headdress
Oxus treasure = large collection of beautiful gold and silver objects dating from 5th and 4th centuries BC
Statuette used to be attached to something (back is flat)
