Commentary Prepared by Dr. Julia Lenaghan, Ashmolean Museum

A 119 E
Odysseus Slaying the Suitors; Trysa Heroon South Wall

Limestone
Architectural Relief
W (total) 761 cm

First discovered in 1841 but soon forgotten, the Trysa heroon was rediscovered in 1881 by Otto Benndorf, then Professor of Classical Archaeology in Vienna. In 1882/83 the friezes of the heroon were transferred to Vienna.
Austria, Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum
Late Classical, ca. 370 BC

Preservation:
The entire surface of the relief is heavily weathered. The facial features of all figures are almost entirely obliterated.

Description:
Depicted are two klinai and four male figures, all nude except for himatia, and facing to the left. On the left are two men on a kline. The first holds a table in front of him, the second, supporting himself with his left arm, tries to remove an arrow (of which no trace remains) from his stomach with his right hand. Behind them are two more figures. The man on the right is stands upright and tries to prop up a kline with both hands; the man in front of him kneels on the floor, his mantle held forward in his left hand, his right holding the kline.

Discussion:
More suitors meet their end in this scene. On the left, one attempts to shield himself with a small side table from Odysseus’ arrows, while his companion on the same kline has already been wounded. The two suitors on the right have jumped of their kline and try to turn it up in order to seek shelter behind.

Bibliography:
O. Benndorf and G. Niemann, Das Heroon von Gjölbaschi-Trysa (Vienna 1889) esp. 96-105 pls. 7-8 The basic first publication of the monument.
F. Eichler, Die Reliefs des Heroon von Gjölbaschi-Trysa (Vienna 1950) esp. 55-57 pls. 6-7 Detailed guide with a description of the monument and the individual reliefs.
R. Noll, Das Heroon von Gjölbaschi-Trysa. Ein fürstlicher Grabbezikr griechischer Zeit in Kleinasien [= Führer durch das Kunsthistorische Museum Nr. 16] (Vienna 1971) esp. 4 A short guide with a detailed description of the various reliefs.
W. A. P. Childs, "Prolegomena to a Lycian Chronology, II: The Heroon from Trysa" (RA 2 1976) 281-316 Gives a detailed stylistic comparison between the reliefs from Trysa and sculptures from the Greek mainland and the rest of Lycia. The Heroon at Trysa is dated to ca. 370 BC.
C. Bruns-Özgan, Lykische Grabreliefs des 5. Und 4. Jahrhunderts v. Chr. [= IstMitt Beiheft 33] (Tübingen 1987) 56-81; 256-257 pls. 9-11.2; 12-13.2 Argues that the friezes from Trysa show an advanced style of ca. 370 BC and are influenced by the iconography of Greek paintings of the Classical period, probably through the use of established pattern books.
B. S. Ridgway, Fourth-Century Styles in Greek Sculpture (London 1997) esp. 88-94 pls. 24-25 Good summary and bibliography of previous research on the heroon.