Monday, December 20, 2021

Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors and Heroes Exhibition Part One

 

Marble statue of Nike, about 100 BCE,
found at Halikarnassos (modern Bodrum), Turkey



Terracotta statuette of Nike
Canosa, Puglia, Italy about 300-200 BCE




Gold earrings of Nike and Helios
about 350-250 BCE
found at Sami, Kefalonia, Greece




Silver dress pin of Nike
about 100-200 BCE




Nike offers a victor's ribbon
neck amphora red figure pottery
made in Athens about 470-460 BCE
attributed to Hermonax
found at Nola, Campania, Italy




Marble statue of a discus thrower
probably from Hadrian's Villa, Tivoli, Italy, 120-140 CE
after a Greek original, about 425-400 BCE



Marble head from a statue of Zeus
Italy 1st century BCE
after a Greek original, about 460-450 BCE
found at Formia, Lazio, Italy




Silver coin of Zeus and his symbol, the eagle
minted in Elis, Peloponnese, Greece, about 200-100 BCE




A marble relief dedication to Artemis 
about 400 BCE
found at Krannon, Thessaly, Greece




Silver coin minted in Pella, Macedonia, about 359-336 BCE
probably commemorating Phillip's II of Macedonia,
victory in an equestrian event in the Olympic Games of 356 BCE




Silver coin minted in Messina, Sicily, Italy after 484 BCE
celebrating mule-cart racing victory of Anaxilas of Rhegium (494-476 BCE)




Pentathletes Tyrrhenian amphora black figure pottery
made in Athens, about 540 BCE
found at Cerveteri, Lazio, Italy




Opposite side of above amphora





Athletes Phayllos and Ladamas
amphora red figure pottery
made in Athens, about 520-500 BCE
found at Vulci, Lazio, Italy



Opposite side of above amphora




Athletes training session
Hydria (water jar) red figure pottery
Athens about 510-500 BCE



I'd like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and happy (and safe) gaming, blogging and painting for 2022! 

Last Friday, the Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors and Heroes exhibition from the British Museum opened at the National Museum of Australia, here in Canberra. This exhibition is open from 17 December 2021 until 1 May 2022 before moving on to Auckland. Some of my photos, didn't turn out very well, so I haven't included those and apologies for the poor quality of some of the photos I have included.





Marble Vaison Diadoumenos
about 120-140 CE
after a Greek original, about 430 BCE
found at Vaison, Vaucluse, France




Frontal view of above statue





Four pairs of boxers - Chairestratos kalos
Kylix (drinking cup) red figure pottery
made in Athens, about 500-490 BCE
attributed to Douris
probably found at Vulci, Lazio, Italy




Boxers amphora black figure pottery
made in Athens, about 480-460 BCE
found at Nola Campania, Italy




Wrestlers silver coin
minted at Aspendos, Turkey, about 420-370 BCE




Bronze head from a statue of an athlete
about 400-350 BCE
found near Rome




Rider presented with a wreath by Nike
Bell Krater red figure pottery
made in Lucania (modern Basilicata), Italy
about 390-370 BCE
attributed to the Anabates painter




The quadriga (four-horse chariot race)
Panathenaic amphora black figure pottery
made in Athens, about 520 BCE
found at Kamiros, Rhodes Greece




The keles (bare backed racing event)
Panathenaic prize amphora black figure pottery
made in Athens, about 500-490 BCE
attributed to the Eucharides Painter
probably found at Vulci, Lazio, Italy




12 Labours of Herakles
Labour 1: Slay the lion of Nemea
Hydria (water jar) black figure pottery
made in Athens, about 520-510 BCE
attributed to the Alkmene Painter
found at Vulci, Lazio, Italy




12 Labours of Herakles
Labour 10: Capture the cattle of Geryon
neck amphora black figure pottery
made in Athens about 500 BCE
attributed to the Group of London B250
found at Vulci, Lazio, Italy





12 Labours of Herakles
Labour 3: Capture the Erymanthian boar
amphora black figure pottery
made in Athens, about 520-500 BCE
attributed to the Antimenes Painter
found at Vulci, Lazio, Italy




Herakles and Triton
Hydria (water jar) black figure pottery
made in Athens, about 530-520
found at Vulci, Lazio, Italy











Saturday, December 11, 2021

Sassanid Commmand

 








Here are two Sassanid command stands that I've just finished painting. The figures are all A&A Miniatures with LBM banner and shield transfers. We've got a Sassanids versus Late Romans game lined up early next month, so these command stands will feature in that game.











Tuesday, December 7, 2021

Etruscan Chariot

 




Here's an Etruscan chariot that I've just finished painting. The figures are from Gorgon Studios and are Lars Porsenna, the Etruscan king with a chariot driver and a second class spearman. Shield transfers are by LBM. The bronze panels on the chariot are based on the famous Etruscan chariot from Monteleone di Spoleto which dates to c. 530 BC and which can be seen in the Metropolitan Museum of Art:

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/247020







Thursday, December 2, 2021

Indians versus Late Achaemenid Persians Mortem et Gloriam Game

 

Indians on the left, Persians on the right


Opposite end of the table


Persian cavalry and Greek hoplites


Indian right flank


Darius, Persian cavalry and Kardakes


Indian left flank advances


On Wednesday afternoon Garry and Craig came over to my place and we played a Pacto sized Mortem et Gloriam (MeG) game out in the shed. Craig and I commanded the Indians, while Garry commanded the Late Achaemenid Persians. The Indian left flank got off to a bad start with the four horse chariots and elephants charging Greek hoplites, only to be routed in the same turn. After some desultory shooting by the Indians in the centre, the Persians closed in combat. The Indians tried the same tactic on the right flank but the Persian cavalry ran away. At this point we ran out of time but with both sides committed in combat, the Persians definitely had the upper hand.



Armies close



Indian chariots and elephants charge Greek hoplites


Indian chariots and elephants are broken


Indians shoot in the centre


Indian chariots and elephants charge


Persian cavalry run away


Final turn the Persians have the advantage


First Game of Border Wars - Reiving by the Big Rock

  Eliots on foot and mounted Armstrongs advance Eliots fire their pistols Armstrongs charge in to combat Last night we played our first game...