Warrior Departure Scenes in Attic Red-Figure Pottery

[Susanne]

As far as I know, few studies about departing hoplites in Attic red-figure pottery have been made. Therefore, as an undergraduate Classics student with a passion for hoplite warfare and Attic pottery I thought I'd make an analysis of a select number (30+) of vases found in Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum and some other books including F. Lissarrague's entry 'The World of the Warrior' in (ed.) C. Bérard, A City of Images: Iconography and Society in Ancient Greece.

The scenes involving hoplites taking leave of their loved ones before a battle (or military training?) are indeed heartwrenching and highly intriguing. Expressing sadness, distress and love through gestures, the scenes also convey ideals such as the civic duty of the hoplite. I also concur with Lissarrague that a subtle subliminal message can be perceived here; basically, 'Rear more children! They are the future of our polis!'.

The principal aim of the paper is to establish a catalogue of vases with departing hoplites. One of the criteria is that a libation offer is included in them. Using the catalogue as a reference, I look at the way the characters are portrayed, the equipment of the hoplites, and how the scenes are composed.

Interestingly, there's only one vase depicting a hoplite with his full kit in a departure scene. That is to say, Stamnos E448 by the Achilles Painter (The British Museum):




There are two particular vases that have puzzled me:



This is a Stamnos by the Berlin Painter (1988.40), currently stored in the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

Note how the hoplite turns away, shunning the woman! It's like our friend somehow is preoccupied. I get the impression that the woman is saying something like "Darling, don't forget your libation offer...".




This Pelike, in Museo Nazionale di Villa Giulia in Rome (46942) is a peculiar one. Note the thing lying on the floor (the suspended greaves indicate an indoor setting). The first time I saw it, I started to believe that it was some sort of altar, but lately I figured that it could be his shield. Consequently, this makes me wonder why the woman is pouring the libation over it?

Just wanted to share with you what I'm currently working on.

[Anonymous]

I would say that it is, without doubt, his shield (shape and size, in proportion to the other elements, convince me. Although there are variations in the shape of aspides, each shape is very strongly characteristic, to the degree that it can hardly be anything else) and that the libation over it is intended to "bless" it to enhance its defensive power supernaturally.

I wonder whether the second picture shows the hoplite being blessed with a "wine shower", to enhance HIS powers supernaturally? On the other hand, he could be a young man in a hurry, who needs a reminder about his religious obligations, as you suggest.

What a pity you can't present your paper at the Festival!

[Jason Hoffman]

Susanne,

You will find that the warrior departure scene is actually very common in Attic red figure vases. Get online and look through the beazley collection and C V A, I have done this and it only took me about 3 weeks, (and that was with a broadband connection, seriously i would have looked at over twenty thousand vases over the past three years).

I have done this in a study of the Greek linothorax and have collected over four hundred ancient images that show the linothorax and many of these are the departure scene, ps the thing lying on the ground is definately a shield, a possible reason for pouring a libation could be a blessing of the shield device (the painted or metallic image that adorned the exterior) which was supposed to give the sheild and hoplite added protection.

Jason

[Susanne]

Thanks for your reply, Pollis! Yeah, it's a shame that I can't go to the Festival, but I will try to find a way to get there!

There's undoubtedly a religious symbolism involved. And most scholars agree that the pouring affirms, according to e.g. the 'libations' entry in Oxford Classical Dictionary (2003), the link between the group, the gods, the house, and the act.

The phiale suggests, that the libation is either supposed to be

1) imbibed by the hoplite

or, as you suggest

2) showered on him.

Now I wish I could travel back in time and behold a departure scene with my own eyes!

Jason, I'm aware of the wealth of vases featuring departure scenes, but most of those don't have photoshots attached to them in the Beazley Archive, and forces you to search for them elsewhere, as in the bibliography listed. Unfortunately, not all of these books are available in Sweden!

I would ask the museums to provide me with shots, but in the end it would, as one could expect, result in myself going bankrupt! As would going to the museums and looking at the vases.

At the moment I have around 35 vases, pictures of which were found (Amphorae, Stamnoi, Pelikai).

[hoplite14gr]

Madam the following was compiled by a combination of sources including Aristophanes, Isokrates, Lysias and Plutarch.
It concernes the 3rd image:

The libation is done by pouring two times.
First on earth for GAIA-the mother earth to ward of the "Chthonioi" -dark spirits who crave the warriors life.
The second done on the shield to temper ARES the god of war so that the shield will never fail.
Possibly a third was done to the patron hero demi-gof from which each Athenian tribe had its name.

Another type of shiled ceremony survives from Herodotus when the shields were used as cover for the slaughtered sacrificed animals and the Army swore that everyone who abandoned the line was guilty of sacriledge.
(Herodotus about Platea)

Spartans usually frowned the practise.

Kind regards

[Susanne]

Thanks for the info, Stefanos!

I was checking with my "Greek Religion" by Walter Burkert. He mentions a passage in Aristoph. Pax. but I can't find the complete name of that work in my Oxford Classical Dictionary!

[Dan Diffendale]

Aristophanes, Peace, that's Eirene in Greek -- and it used to be the fashion to refer to Greek texts by their Latin equivalents, hence Pax.

[Susanne]

Thanks Dan, I will try to find the English translations of the works at my university's library tomorrow.

[Susanne]

There's an analogy between these vases and white-ground lekythoi, by the way. There's a lekyth by the Achilles Painter, where we see a seated woman and a thinly clad, unarmoured hoplite handing over his Corinthian helmet. This scene clearly indicates a hoplite who's fallen in battle.

The 'death' theme could well apply to some of the red-figure departure scenes as well... *ponders*. Not that the hoplite normally presents his helmet to the wife or mother in the red-figure scenes but the important thing here is, in my opinion, to look at how the characters play against each other.

This theory of mine is rather far-fetched, and I'm aware of that!

[Anonymous]

[quote="Susanne I would ask the museums to provide me with shots, but in the end it would , as one could expect, in myself going bankrupt! :) As would going to the museums and looking at the vases.

At the moment I have around 35 vases, pictures of which were found (Amphorae, Stamnoi, Pelikai).[/quote]

Of course, if you made it to the Festival, you'd be a short train-ride from the British Museum... :twisted:

[Susanne]

My family trip to London comes to mind.

I was 14 years old back then, and urged my dad to take me to the Museum. We kept wandering about for around half an hour until we eventually found the building (after which I advised him to trust my map reading abilities)! :twisted:

Pity we never got to witness the evil Thespian kebabing the Orator that day!

[Dan Diffendale]

Speaking of handing over helmets...

here's one with an eye in it! It's at the Met in New York; I'm afraid I don't have any further information.

[Susanne]

Nice picture, Dan! Wow, now this is a beautiful scene!

It doesn't seem to be published in CVA, is it a recent find?

Karma sent to you!

[hoplite14gr]

Please allow me to disagree abit with you Susanne.
So far only grave stelae and white lykythoi have been ascociated with death.
It was the custom in ancient Athens to put the ashes of the dead in a white lykythos. The most famous is the "melancholic girl" currently in the Kerameikos mouseum in Athens.

The warrior departure is very much depicted on potery because it was a common feature of ancient life.
Kind regards

[hoplite14gr]

Please allow me to disagree abit with you Susanne.
So far only grave stelae and white lykythoi have been ascociated with death.
It was the custom in ancient Athens to put the ashes of the dead in a white lykythos. The most famous is the "melancholic girl" currently in the Kerameikos mouseum in Athens.

The warrior departure is very much depicted on potery because it was a common feature of ancient life.
Kind regards