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Wolf on Greek shields
#1
Greetings folks, tried looking a few ways and not finding anything before I wasted the band width.

But just finished up my new shield, and about to start painting it. Have been looking at greek shield designs the last few months while waiting, just to see if something catches my eye. But well to be honest, I like wolves, and was curious, if anyone has seen anything of a wolf, any type, or maybe even a dog. Granted, have seen some dogs in designs, maybe not shields, but other things. But still no wolves.

Other than the story of Lycaon, and knowing that apparently wolves were revered in Athens, and I believe Hecate and maybe Athena, had an affinity for wolves, not finding much as far as seeing things on pottery or was hoping to find a shield device with a wolf on it.

So thought I would come to the brain trust, and see if anyone had seen anything.

Thanks
John Tibbs
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#2
The "Perseus Project" had a photo of Maria Daniels depicting a statue of Athena on whose shield a wolf was painted. It was on red-faced attic pottery. Sorry did not keep the link.

Pausanias gives the info that Thessalians used to invoke "Athena Itonia" a their battle cry.

The wolf was probably related to the cult of Athena as a lunar goddess "Athena - Ogga".
This particular cult of Athena except Beotia was also found in the Thessalian city of Trikke (modern Trikala)

Kind regards
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#3
Thanks Stefanos
John Tibbs
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#4
Quote:The "Perseus Project" had a photo of Maria Daniels depicting a statue of Athena on whose shield a wolf was painted. It was on red-faced attic pottery. Sorry did not keep the link.

Pausanias gives the info that Thessalians used to invoke "Athena Itonia" a their battle cry.

The wolf was probably related to the cult of Athena as a lunar goddess "Athena - Ogga".
This particular cult of Athena except Beotia was also found in the Thessalian city of Trikke (modern Trikala)

Kind regards

Sources please? Can not find any reference to Ogga or the moon anywhere outside of these silly neo-Hellenic pagan sites. Also how is Itonia linked with wolves? Again, sources.

Wolves and deities more generally: The wolf tended to be seen in conjunction with Apollon but largely seemed to have some link with young men, initiation and perhaps even fertility based on comparative evidence and anthropology. The record is largely silent. One would assume it to have been a respectable military animal but....
Jass
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#5
Forget the "overenthusiastic people"!!!! :mrgreen:

In book 10 Voitika - Fokika Pausanias gives the info on "Itonia Athena" as battle cry.

He talks also about "Athena Ogga" while describing the house of Cadmos in Thebes.
Here is the Ancient Greek text:
http://books.google.gr/books?id=Y4AUAAAA...2mPNTpk&hl

Here is the article in Thēsauros tēs Hellēnikēs glōssēs, Volume 1 By Henri Estienne, Charles Labbé
http://books.google.gr/books?id=ZdUxAQAA...EQ6AEwATgK

The name Ogga appear aslo in Aschylos "7 vs Thebes" and Hysychios lexicon. The Lunar from of the goddess appears in P.Decharme "Hellenic Mythology" (sorry have only the Greek translation of 1961)

Hope I helped

Kind regards
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