Symbols of Power 1.6, Greece Flashcards
What was the Centauromachy depicted on?
The Parthenon
What was the Amazonomachy depicted on?
Basae frieze
Who were the Lapiths ruled by, and what happened with him?
Ixion. The gods invited him to Olympus, and he liked Hera. Zeus made a replica of Hera out of clouds and sent it to Ixion to trick him, and he coupled with her. The next rains to fall gave birth to the Centaurs.
How were Centaurs different from the Lapiths?
Lived in caves; hunted wild food; fought with rocks; unskilled int he arts of men: crafts, hospitality, religion
Definition of Lapiths.
A mythical race of men based in Thessaly, northern Greece.
Definition of Centauromachy.
Mythical battle between the Centaurs and Lapiths.
Where was the Centauromachy?
At the wedding of the Lapith king, Pirithous, son of Ixion, and Hippodamia.
What caused the Centauromachy?
The Centaurs were invited, became drunk and laid hands upon the women. The Lapiths took vengeance, slaying some of them upon the spot, the rest they overcame in the war and expelled from the country.
What was Theseus’ role in the Centauromachy?
He fought either at the banquet and in the war, or according to Herodotus the war was already in progress when Theseus came to aid the Lapiths.
What did the Centauromachy represent?
Civilisation vs barbarism. Centaurs are barbarians as they don’t know how to conduct themselves in ceremonies, and drink wine unwatered. Lapiths seeked to make up for the exploits of Ixion and invited their brothers to a wedding, so they were the victims.
What did the Centauromachy mean to Greece?
Persians were barbarians, Greeks were triumphant over them.
What did the Centauromachy mean to Athens?
Persians sacked Athens and destroyed an earlier temple to Athena. Pericles rebuilt the Parthenon and included the Centauromachy to show Athens wouldn’t give up. Also has Theseus in the myth.
How is the Centauromachy depicted on the Parthenon?
34/92 metopes are the Centauromachy. Many sculptors would have completed it, so there is a great deal of variation in quality and finish of them.
What are the three objectives of a metope sculptor?
1) Create a scene that could be easily recognisable.
2) Create realism in the scene.
3) Fill the space to not leave big blank areas.
How did the Centauromachy metopes increase drama?
Viewed from below, so centaur rears over Lapith, who appears to be rolling off metope.
