What mythological battle is depicted in the metopes of the Parthenon?

What mythological battle is depicted in the metopes of the Parthenon?

Each side of the Parthenon depicts a different mythological and historical theme. At the east (or front) of the temple the metopes depicted the Gigantomachy, or the battle between the gods and the giants.

What is on the metopes at the Parthenon?

The sculpted decoration of the Parthenon included ninety-two metopes showing scenes of mythical battle. Those on the south flank of the temple included a series featuring human Lapiths in mortal combat with Centaurs. The Centaurs were part-man and part-horse, thus having a civil and a savage side to their nature.

How many decorated metopes are there on the Parthenon?

Ninety-two carved metopes (square blocks placed between three-channeled triglyph blocks) adorn the exterior walls of the Parthenon. The metopes on the West side depict Amazonomachy, a mythical battle between the Amazons and the Ancient Greeks, and were thought to be designed by the sculptor Kalamis.

What is the Parthenon myth?

While the East Pediment of the Parthenon depicts the dramatic moment of the birth of Athena, the West pediment celebrates her victory in the contest with Poseidon for control of Athens and Attica. The first king of Athens, King Cecrops, set out a competition to establish a patron deity for his city state.

What mythological battle is depicted in the metopes of the Parthenon What fight with the people of Athens do they probably refer to?

The most common interpretation is that it was the Amazonomachy, most probably the Athenian episode of these battles between the Greeks and the warrior women.

What are the four themes represented on the Parthenon’s Doric frieze?

The Parthenon friezes meant to convey a Panathenaic procession, the victory of the Athenians at Marathon, the power of Athens as a city-state, and the piety of its citizens.

What are triglyphs and metopes?

Triglyph is an architectural term for the vertically channeled tablets of the Doric frieze in classical architecture, so called because of the angular channels in them. The rectangular recessed spaces between the triglyphs on a Doric frieze are called metopes.

What subjects do the Parthenon metopes picture?

The metopes illustrate episodes from Greek myth, including the battle of the Centaurs and Lapiths. Marble metope from the Parthenon showing the battle between a Centaur and a Lapith. Athens, 447–438 BC. The frieze (carved in low relief) ran around all four sides of the building inside the colonnade.

What is troezen in Greek mythology?

Troezen was one of the children of Pelops and Hippodamia in Greek mythology. Along with his brother Pittheus, Troezen went to live at King Aetius’ court, who ruled over Hyperea and Anthea. When they grew up, they succeeded Aetius in the throne.

What do the Battle of Lapiths and centaurs symbolically represent?

The fight erupted at the wedding feast of Pirithous, king of the Lapiths, when the centaurs became intoxicated and tried to carry off the women, including the bride. The subject later came to symbolize the human struggle between bestial inclinations and civilized behavior.

What did the Parthenon frieze depict?

What did the metopes on the Parthenon represent?

The metopes on each of the four sides of the Parthenon depict a different mythical battle or war. The south side is perhaps the best preserved. It depicts a battle between the civilized Lapiths and the brutish half -human, half-horse centaurs, where the legendary Athenian king Theseus fought on the Lapiths’ side.

How many relief panels were on the Parthenon?

Parthenon Metopes. There were originally 92 Parthenon metopes (relief panels above the columns, between the triglyphs), 14 on the east and west sides and 32 on the others.

What was the most significant damage to the Parthenon?

The most notable damage to the metopes (and the Parthenon in general) occurred in 1687. At the time Greece was controlled by the Ottoman Turks, who were at war with the Venetians. The Parthenon was used to store gunpowder, which ignited when Venetian mortar fire hit it.

When was the south side of the Parthenon made?

They are dated from about 446 to 440 BCE, and are attributed to a sculptor named Kalamis. The metopes on each of the four sides of the Parthenon depict a different mythical battle or war. The south side is perhaps the best preserved.