I’m late for Wonder Woman day, but is there ever a bad time for a vaguely historically accurate Wonder Woman?
In Classical art, Amazons are often portrayed in Scythian clothing, and indeed much archaeological evidence indicates the presence of female warriors in that region at the time.
Almost halfway done with the Phoenician alphabet oracle. There are 22 letters/cards in total and I’ve worked 16 deities into it (the Phoenician, Canaanite and Mesopotamian gods are so heavily syncretized through both geography and time that it was a challenge to choose among all the figures and portrayals, but the full list is below the cut:
Christopher A. Faraone. The Transformation of Greek Amulets in Roman Imperial Times, Empire and After. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2018. Hardcover edition. 512 pages.
Satyr statuette or applique, probably originally attached to the base of a larger bronze statue, ca. 160–150 BCE. Berlin, Antikensammlung Misc. 7466.
The youthful satyr carries a set of panspipes in his right hand as he defends himself with his left hand which probably originally held a lagobolon, a type of stick that was used to hunt rabbits.
It was common for Hellenistic satyrs to carry a lagobolon, but here this youthful satyr defends himself in a pose known as the Harmodios blow. This pose comes from the classical sculpture group of the Tyrannicides, Harmodios and Aristogeiton by sculptors Kritios and Nesiotes. Aside from his pose, the delicate and youthful form of the satyr certainly alludes to Harmodios, who was the eromenos of Aristogeiton.
The Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula began during the 3rd century BCE. A number of clashes followed, including inLusitania, a province located between present-day Portugal and western Spain.
In 138 BCE, the Roman praetor Decimus Junius Brutus was sent to Lusitania to fight roaming guerrilla bands. Unable to follow them through the province, he decided to attack their towns directly.
According to Appian : “Here he found the women fighting and perishing in company with the men with such bravery that they uttered no cry even in the midst of slaughter.”
In 137 BCE, he crossed the river Douro and encountered the Bracari, a Celtic tribe of present-day northwest Portugal. According to Appian, the Bracari were: “very warlike people”. The women : “bearing arms with the men, who fought never turning, never showing their backs, or uttering a cry. Of the women who were captured some killed themselves, others slew their children with their own hands, considering death preferable to captivity.”
This determination to fight to the death reminds of Roman encounters with other tribes, such as for instance the Cimbri (who may have been Germanic or Celtic people), whose women displayed a similar behavior.
Plutarch also tells of Caesar’s battles against the Celtic Helvetiansthat:
“After a long and hard struggle he routed the enemy’s fighting men, but had the most trouble at their rampart of waggons, where not only did the men themselves make a stand and fight, but also their wives and children defended themselves to the death and were cut to pieces with the men.”
A spectacular aerial view of the expansive ruins of the Roman military colony of Timgad (Batna), Algeria. The landmarks which are prominent in this image are the magnificent triumphal Arch of Trajan, ca. 100 AD and the well-preserved ancient theater. (Photo: Geo Steinmetz/John Trikeriotis). .
Detail of relief with Marcus Aurelius offering a sacrifice to Jupiter Capitoline. Relief panel comes from the decoration of a triumphal arch erected in 176 AD. in the Roman Forum at the foot of the Capitoline Hill to celebrate Marcus Aurelius’s victories over the Germanics and Sarmatians. Relief was created during Marcus Aurelius’s reign in the years from 177 to 180 AD. Musei Capitolini, Rome.
A bird among the shrubs and flowers of a garden. A detail of Pompeian wall painting, 1st century AD. This painting exemplifies the Roman passion for gardens and countryside.
