Purpose of Statues by Claude Mosse

[jan]

In the past, there have been many posts about statues. Unfortunately, I had not read Claude Mosse's book on Alexander called Destiny and Myth, to realize the meaning of statues in the time of Alexander. I had been thinking of statues in terms of contemporary America and its mean posters which always remind us that statues are made for pigeon droppings...an old joke here in the Arizona desert...but I am going to quote from Claude Mosse's book as to the importance of statues in the time of Alexander..".p. 80.Only deities and heroes rated the erection of statues in their memory...new paragraph. The erection of a statue was thus a form of heroisation reserved for victorious strategoi. It is interesting to note that, after the battle of Charonea and the conclusion of the peace of Demades, the victorious general who was given a statue in the agora was ...Philip, who was therefore rewarded for having liberated the Athenians taken prisoner in the course of the battle, and for having respected the city's independence.

As can be seen from the double example of Spartan and Athenian strategoi, being honored with a statue raised the victor to the rank of, if not the gods, at least the heroes. For a fourth century Greek this in no way transgressed the rules of religious or political life. "

So in that context all the efforts to raise another statue on behalf of Alexander is probably a reaffirmation of his heroic or deific status and I have to admit that it is indeed a tribute to his memory that any nation or city today would wish to honor him with a statue...I am citing these words from Mosse's book to correct my own attitude about the erection of statues for ATG. I now fully appreciate those nations who wish to honor his memory with a statue. Pigeons notwithstand.

[adisciplus]

Does he distinguish statues that are erected in the Agora (e.g., Ephesus, Athens), vs in a temple (e.g., Delphi), vs in an fort (e.g., Athen's Acropolis)?

Many statues were erected to people not considered heroes or gods:

- Philip (or Alexander) erected gold/ivory statues to *his wife* and Alexander in the Philippeon
- Aristotle's stone statues to his deceased brother, sister, adopted father and *living* adopted son Nicanor (mentioned in his will)
- Mithradates the Persian dedicated to the Muses a statue of Plato
- (Stone?) statue to Aristotle in the Museion (in the Lyceum?) (mentioned in Theophrastus' will)
- Bronze statue of Demetrius of Phaleron in the Acropolis
- Golden plate statue of Gorgias at Delphi (mentioned by Pausanias)

[jan]

Thank you so much for your comments and lists of statues. No, she did not include any of these as she has divided her book into a variety of chapters regarding the faces of Alexander, and this was the chapter about his being son of Zeus. I sincerely appreciate the fact that Pothos is a place where one can gain information of this kind from a member as you have contributed to this entry. I really enjoy learning as much as I can learn from other members who know so much about the king and the times...thanks again for enlightening me to the many other statues that are commonplace in the times...Jan

[marcus]

Does he distinguish statues that are erected in the Agora (e.g., Ephesus, Athens), vs in a temple (e.g., Delphi), vs in an fort (e.g., Athen's Acropolis)?

Many statues were erected to people not considered heroes or gods:

- Philip (or Alexander) erected gold/ivory statues to *his wife* and Alexander in the Philippeon
- Aristotle's stone statues to his deceased brother, sister, adopted father and *living* adopted son Nicanor (mentioned in his will)
- Mithradates the Persian dedicated to the Muses a statue of Plato
- (Stone?) statue to Aristotle in the Museion (in the Lyceum?) (mentioned in Theophrastus' will)
- Bronze statue of Demetrius of Phaleron in the Acropolis
- Golden plate statue of Gorgias at Delphi (mentioned by Pausanias)

I haven't read Mosse's book for a while, so would have to go back and have a look at the context. I wonder whether the reference is to publicly erected statues, thus those put up by a private citizen to honour a family member (or personal hero?) doesn't count in this instance?

ATB