Commentary Prepared by Dr. Julia Lenaghan, Ashmolean Museum

A 102 A
Battle between Greeks and Persians (Temple of Athena Nike, South Frieze). London.

Marble (Pentelic)
Frieze
H: ca. 45 cm; W (max.): 92 cm

South frieze, block o (left half). From the Acropolis at Athens. The slab had been reused in a Turkish fortification wall and was taken away by Lord Elgin in 1802. It was later given to the British Museum in London.
United Kingdom, London, British Museum, 423
High Classical, ca. 430-420 BC

Preservation:
The entire surface is heavily worn and abraded, all figures are missing limbs.

Description:
Depicted are a total of five figures, one of them mounted on a horse. To the left a frontally depicted man in oriental costume consisting of a long-sleeved garment and tight stockings has broken down on his knee. His left seems to have held a bow, his right is raised over the head for protection. Next to him stands a nude man shown from the back. A short cloak is fastened around his neck. His right arm is raised and aimed a spear down at the first man. Further to the right is another man in oriental costume. He is mounted on a horse that has reared up on its hind legs. Another bearded oriental lies on the ground in the foreground. Furthest to the right is a frontally depicted nude man armed with around hoplite shield. He strains away from the rearing horse and has his right arm raised to strike with his weapon.

Discussion:
The south frieze of the temple shows a battle between Greeks and orientals, in which the Greeks prevail. Some of the easterners are mounted on horseback, while others fight as archers. Although this format is familiar from depictions of mythical amazonomachies, many of the figures on this frieze are bearded and therefore cannot represent amazons. This strongly suggests that they must be Persians, in which case it is likely that a historic battle may be depicted. Many scholars believe that this should be the Battle of Marathon, where the Athenians defeated an invading Persian army in 490 BC. This victory was soon likened to other, purely mythical exploits from the past in Athenian claims for a special place among the Greeks. The nudity of the Greek fighters on the frieze would indeed be a sign of heroization, as it was not common practice to fight naked by that time. For the temple in general see A 101a.

Bibliography:
A.H. Smith, A Catalogue of Sculpture in the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities, British Museum III (London 1904) 242-245 Catalogue entry with basic information.
C. Blümel, "Der Fries des Tempels der Athena Nike in der attischen Kunst des fünften Jahrhunderts vor Christus" (JdI 65/66 1950) 135-165 Detailed description of the frieze.
E. B. Harrison, "The South Frieze of the Nike Temple and the Marathon Painting in the Painted Stoa" (AJA 76 1972) 353-378 pls. 73-78 Points out similarities between the frieze and Pausanias’ description of the painting of the Marathon battle by Polygnotus, and argues that the same battle is depicted.
T. Hölscher, Griechische Historienbilder des 5. und 4. Jahrhunderts v. Chr. [Beiträge zur Archäologie 6] (Würzburg 1973) 91-98 Argues that the friezes show historic battles in the wake of Marathon.
F. Felten, Griechische Tektonische Friese archaischer und klassischer Zeit (Waldsassen 1984) 118-131 pls. 33-39; 47 Interprets the south frieze as a battle against Persians, and the west and north friezes as a unified composition showing the Trojan War as mythological paradigm for the Persian Wars.
H. Knell, Mythos und Polis. Bildprogramme griechischer Bauskulptur (Darmstadt 1990) 140-149 Good summary and bibliography of recent research on the frieze.
E. B. Harrison, "The Glories of the Athenians: Observations on the Program of the Frieze of the Temple of Athena Nike", in: D. Buitron-Oliver (ed.), The Interpretation of Architectural Sculpture in Greece and Rome (Washington 1997) 109-125 Argues that the south frieze represents Marathon and that other heroic (mythical) exploits of the Athenians are depicted on the north and west friezes.