Spartan hoplite - Dead Persian

[Scipio_Africanus]

Hi Everybody, i present you my work on a model of the Pegaso model's firm.
I have finished during the summer, but wasn't be able to post it before.

So the Spartan hoplite is the main subject, but you can see also a little persian dead on the side of the realisation, during his fall to the ground. Maybe i will find some others pictures later, but you need to know that he is beheaded. The persian is made from scratch.

The size of the models are : 90 mm
And the all base is manufactured by artisans in France.

And now, enjoy the view :

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P.S : Just sorry for the low quality of the photos.

[Epictetus]

Wow. Great job. That is really impressive. I love how you used the base as part of the scene, instead of just leaving it as is. It's like using the frame as part of a painting, or a plinth as part of a monument.

[Joe_71]

Fantastic, now that's art!

[Scipio_Africanus]

Thank you guys

If you have some advice or comments on the accurate of the scene, don't hesitate to tell me.
Really glad you like it.

[Ghostmojo]

Beautiful model and very skilfully rendered. Nice one :grin: 8-) I can't fault it, other than perhaps the minor quibble that I doubt his chiton would have been white - but who can really say?

However, if you look at my avatar you will see that I have admired this sculpture for a good long while :wink:

It could be King Leonidas I at Thermopylai. The Gorgon shield blazon is a possibility and the whole flavour of the model very appropriate. I seem to remember that this Pegasso model goes under the title of a Spartan Aristocrat anyway.

I intend to get one of these myself and paint it up. I might treat myself for Christmas!

[Scipio_Africanus]

Thank you for your feedback Ghostmojo.
When i paint, i like to be the more historicaly accurate as possible, so it would be interesting for me to have some sources concerning the chiton, and why it wouldn't probably be in white

Concerning the model itself, i must say that it was really enjoyable to paint it, and i recommend you this superb piece of sculpture. After a good preparation, and the appropriate material, it's really fantastic to see your work, take life

Anyway, my next scene concerning the ancient era, will be during the Roman Republic, at the 200 BC. But it will take a while before it would be possible to post some picture :p

I just need to say that some nuances are just visible in real, and my white on the picture isn't really a pure white, it was also a choice for the "atmosphere" of the piece.

[tenerife_boy]

Beautiful, congrats

[Rubico]

Very well done! Thank you for sharing those pictures. I admire those who can do this, I still cannot color within the lines.

[rononmaximus]

Wow, great work, beautiful work and the idea of using the base as support is very original, I like it!

[Ghostmojo]

Thank you for your feedback Ghostmojo.
When i paint, i like to be the more historicaly accurate as possible, so it would be interesting for me to have some sources concerning the chiton, and why it wouldn't probably be in white

There is a considerable body of academic opinion that believes the Spartans were already wearing a more uniform colour scheme even by late archaic times (i.e. 6th century BC) and this would have been the crimson/red which they have become known for. You can read this in many books readily available. Therefore, it is highly likely that this situation would have been the case at Thermopylai in 480BC. I am also inclined to agree with Stefanos' views that tribal unit shield devices were also used (rather than hundreds of individual motifs per warrior) to denote Spartan units.

[Scipio_Africanus]

Thank you guys,

Really motivated to continue some others models i have in mind after your compliments.

Thank you Ghostmojo for the precisions.
And it seems logical that the spartan units were more uniform. But maybe some officers, or chief, would have a different stuff or equipment (that's just a simple assumption).

I believe that, like other Greek cities during the Archaic times or the Classical times, Spartans were certainly not completly uniform on the battlefield. But that's seem interesting, and the academic opinion you suggest is likely and understandable, except that i think some exceptions would have existed at this time.

[Ghostmojo]

Thank you Ghostmojo for the precisions.
And it seems logical that the spartan units were more uniform. But maybe some officers, or chief, would have a different stuff or equipment (that's just a simple assumption).

I believe that, like other Greek cities during the Archaic times or the Classical times, Spartans were certainly not completly uniform on the battlefield. But that's seem interesting, and the academic opinion you suggest is likely and understandable, except that i think some exceptions would have existed at this time.

Well yes indeed.

And I would hazard a guess that the King or Kings (pre-Kleomenes I/Damaratos' spat) would have been quite distinctive. They were after all wealthy, aristocratic and had very special status within Spartan society. But I still would expect that they followed the Lakedaimonian custom regarding uniformity of colours. According to Xenophon, Lykourgos had ordered that the Spartans wear a crimson robe and later sources expanded upon this to mean a tunic as well/instead. These reforms/guides/codes (accepting that Lykourgos was probably mythical) would have been mid archaic period - well before the Persian Wars (perhaps as much as a century or so).

Perhaps an analogy might help? Think of any of the leading protagonists during the Napoleonic Wars for example. The officers also wore the same coloured uniforms as their troops, however, they were made of much better quality material; had braid; nicer buttons; more decoration; smarter hats or helmets etc.

Spartan officers (at least senior-ranking ones) like Polemarkhoi; Lochagoi; perhaps even Pentekosteres may well have worn transverse crests - and I guess by extension this would apply to the King or Regent leading the force (if one was present). They would have worn more decorative clothing; better engineered cuirasses; more interesting helmets and so on. But I still reckon they would have kept to the tunic/cloak colour code - and why not?

[Kallithrix]

I mayb be an ignorant Scythian, but to me the cuirass and pteruges look Roman?

[Ghostmojo]

I mayb be an ignorant Scythian, but to me the cuirass and pteruges look Roman?

Not necessarily. After all, some Roman equipment was styled after earlier Greek models. There were Romans (e.g. Flamininus, Hadrian, Lucullus)) who were philhellenes. That style of cuirass might not have been seen sported by your Greek common rank and file, but I would suggest plenty of officers and other senior ranks (especially nobility) could have afforded such. It looks appropriate to me.

[Kallithrix]

Well, the muscle cuirass might just be ok, but I've never seen any examples, in either Greek vase paintings or sculpture, of pteruges like that - they're very much Roman in style.