Commentary Prepared by Dr. Julia Lenaghan, Ashmolean Museum

A 120 E
City Siege; Trysa Heroon West Wall

Limestone
Architectural Relief
W (total) 618 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, many figures are greatly worn and abraded.

Description:
The relief depicts a fortification wall with three towers. Behind the wall is a long row of ten men with conical helmets and interlocking round shields. They are descending downwards to the left. Behind them, slightly higher up, is a further man, bearded, and armed with cuirass, shield, and helmet. His right arm is raised. Further to the right, outside the walls, is a group of figures consisting of a woman carrying a rectangular object on her head, a bearded man, and a mule packed with bundles.

Discussion:
The relief depicts the far side of the city. To the left a phalanx-like row of defenders under their leader descend downwards to a sally port, almost a mirror image of their companions on the neighbouring slab (A 120d). Further to the right is a group of civilians, apparently fleeing the city with a few of their belongings. It is this detail that has prompted comparison with a painting by Polygnotus depicting the sack of Troy, that is said to have included just such a scene. For the Trysa heroon in general see also A 119a and A 120a.

Bibliography:
O. Benndorf and G. Niemann, Das Heroon von Gjölbaschi-Trysa (Vienna 1889) esp. 51; 123-129 pls. 11; 112-113 The basic first publication of the monument.
F. Eichler, Die Reliefs des Heroon von Gjölbaschi-Trysa (Vienna 1950) esp. 61-63 pls. 18-21 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. p. 5 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.
W. A. P. Childs, The City-Reliefs of Lycia [= Princeton Monographs in Art and Archaeology XLII] (Princeton N. J. 1978) esp. 13-14; 31-36; 78 pls. 1.2; 13.2-17 Shows that the siege scene from Trysa forms part of the typical iconography of Lycian reliefs and ultimately derives from Near Eastern, particularly Assyrian sources that were slightly adapted under Greek influence.
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.