The Sphinxes Guarding the Lion Tomb Entrance at Amphipolis

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Alexias
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Re: The Sphinxes Guarding the Lion Tomb Entrance at Amphipolis

Post by Alexias »

There might well be a case to say that the Scasato Apollo is influenced by portraits of Alexander and it may well be an image of him, but it is often difficult to say whether such images are meant to be Apollo, Alexander, or just a generic 'heroic' type that has been influenced by the work of Lysippus, or what was just the fashion at the time. It would need an art historian to make a firm identification.

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The identification of the other terracotta head with Philip is more dubious as it looks like a generic type to me.

The identification of the female terracotta head with the Persephone in the Amphipolis mosaic is completely wrong though. The Juno terracotta head is a mature woman, the Persephone a young woman. There must be at least 15 years age difference there. Again, you seem to be just confusing a vague generic resemblance with actual portraits, whereas the images are very likely not meant to be portraits of specific people.

The biggest flaw in the whole scenario though is that you have not presented any evidence whatsoever to prove that the artefacts in the Falerri museum have any connection with Amphipolis. Until you can make a positive link your theory has no proof. It is also highly unlikely that 3 items taken from the same place in Macedonia would remain together 2,000 years later in Italy.
hiphys
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Re: The Sphinxes Guarding the Lion Tomb Entrance at Amphipolis

Post by hiphys »

There is ,normally, a fundamental difference between Apollo's and Alexander's hair: Apollo has a typical bun, or hair knot over his head, while Alexander has the anastolè, ie. some locks - shorter than these that form Apollo's bun - thrown back his forehead freely. This is, IMHO, the major difference between Apollo's and Alexander's head from Hellenism on.
rodakes
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Re: The Sphinxes Guarding the Lion Tomb Entrance at Amphipolis

Post by rodakes »

“Apollo Scasato” and the “special” statues (possibly made by Lysippus) which were found in the same excavation site (temple of Apollo) and are exhibited in the same museum (Villa Giulia) are shown next:
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rodakes
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Re: The Sphinxes Guarding the Lion Tomb Entrance at Amphipolis

Post by rodakes »

The resemblance between “Apollo Scasato” and Alexander is striking. The young man with the fiery hair who was given the title “Apollo Scasato” would probably deserve the title “Alessandro Scasato” instead, because in actuality he’s none other than Alexander the Great himself!
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Paralus
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Re: The Sphinxes Guarding the Lion Tomb Entrance at Amphipolis

Post by Paralus »

Oh dear me. One long drawn bow piled upon a regiment of long drawn bows based on shifting sand. But then again, perhaps Taphoi's notion of 'perfect plausibility' allows for this as well?
Paralus
Ἐπὶ τοὺς πατέρας, ὦ κακαὶ κεφαλαί, τοὺς μετὰ Φιλίππου καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου τὰ ὅλα κατειργασμένους;
Wicked men, you sin against your fathers, who conquered the whole world under Philip and Alexander.

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Zebedee
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Re: The Sphinxes Guarding the Lion Tomb Entrance at Amphipolis

Post by Zebedee »

I'm afraid the 'clues' given establish only that both 'Juno' and Persephone are female and divine. As Alexias has already noted, uncertainty over who precisely the Etruscan terracotta represents doesn't alter the fact it's of a mature woman (hence 'Juno') rather than a young woman (such as Persephone/Kore). I'm afraid that what precisely rosettes mean, if anything in particular, is conjectural and certainly doesn't help make a crown Macedonian.

eg. tiered rosettes, including eight petalled ones, on a c.350 BC gold necklace from Taranto. Held at British Museum, the head on the necklace is possibly Hera and the suggestion is that it belonged to a priestess of Hera. It certainly isn't Olympias in any case.

Image
gepd
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Re: The Sphinxes Guarding the Lion Tomb Entrance at Amphipolis

Post by gepd »

FYI: https://www.academia.edu/1481470/The_Im ... n_Pantheon

Scasato has two temples, one dated to late 4th centruy BC, where Apollo Scasato comes from, and the other in early 4th centruy BC, or even late 5th centruy BC, where the supposed Olympias and Philip come from. Obviously, as long as the dating is not off by 50 years or more, there is no point in comparing facial characteristics.
system1988
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Re: The Sphinxes Guarding the Lion Tomb Entrance at Amphipolis

Post by system1988 »

Concerning a special depiction of the frieze of Kasta, I found by chance the following cameo glass plaque with a Bacchich scene from Pompei,now in the British Museum

It seems that there was a pattern (as far as the movement of the figures is concerned) that, coming from the hellenistic world, was also followed in roman times.
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Pauline
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gepd
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Re: The Sphinxes Guarding the Lion Tomb Entrance at Amphipolis

Post by gepd »

That is a very nice find Pauline, here is something similar:
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system1988
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Re: The Sphinxes Guarding the Lion Tomb Entrance at Amphipolis

Post by system1988 »

Hi gepd, thank you for your comment

There are similar only in the movement of the hand of the woman . ( And this too is an roman sculpture.) In the Kastas frieze and the Pompei plaque i think the figures are dancing So In the kasta frieze two human figures ( or: a centaur and a female centaur- fellows of Dionysus) are dancing and between them stands a bull.Dionysus Zagreus was a bull.

I dont Know if this is already said

Pauline
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Re: The Sphinxes Guarding the Lion Tomb Entrance at Amphipolis

Post by onar »

just food for thought concerning some part of the Architecture design of the Kastas facade

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DnZQYd ... e=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr-Ao_- ... e=youtu.be
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