Commentary Prepared by Dr. Julia Lenaghan, Ashmolean Museum

A 119 F
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 fragment is broken on both sides, the entire surface is heavily weathered.

Description:
Depicted is a naked man in left profile. He half sits on a kline, his left foot on the ground, and holds up his mantle in front of him with his left hand.

Discussion:
The fragment shows another suitor trying to save himself from Odysseus’ arrows. (One slab between this relief and A 119e is missing in the display.) For the Trysa heroon in general see A 119a.

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.