Hellenistic Artifacts
Winged Victory of Samothrace
220-185 BC
Samothrace (Greek Island in Northern Aegean Sea)
Source: The Louvre
The Winged Victory of Samothrace is a statue that stood on the prow of a greek ship during the Hellenistic Age. The statue is of a greek goddess of Victory, known as Nike. Many believe that the Macedonians and Greeks used the sculpture, as a thanks to the goddess after a successful naval attack. This shows the depth of religion and tradition that was tied into both win and loss in war, as well as the daily life of the empire. However, it was created not only to serve as an offering to the god, but to spread greek religion, culture, traditions, and many other elements into the rest of the kingdom's. The prow was mainly sculpted in Rhodes, however, the drapery required much more skill and was then worked on in the Pergamon, the capital city of the Attalid dynasty, that was located in modern day Turkey. Not only this, but the word of the naval victory, as it was as very large, most likely spread across the whole empire, and with the greeks thanking the goddess of Victory for their win and even resorted to making an offering to her as well, most of the people of the empire would also accept the cause, therefore spreading the religion from Greece and most of Europe all the way into Asia Minor. This reinforces why the empire was created, as Hellenistic is derived from the greek word of Hellezein, which means to associate with or accept greek tradition, and that is exactly what the Winged Victory of Samothrace was supposed to do. Clearly, the sculpture is an embodiment of the spread of Greek culture throughout the Hellenistic Empire, as the spread was the reason the empire was established in the first place .
220-185 BC
Samothrace (Greek Island in Northern Aegean Sea)
Source: The Louvre
The Winged Victory of Samothrace is a statue that stood on the prow of a greek ship during the Hellenistic Age. The statue is of a greek goddess of Victory, known as Nike. Many believe that the Macedonians and Greeks used the sculpture, as a thanks to the goddess after a successful naval attack. This shows the depth of religion and tradition that was tied into both win and loss in war, as well as the daily life of the empire. However, it was created not only to serve as an offering to the god, but to spread greek religion, culture, traditions, and many other elements into the rest of the kingdom's. The prow was mainly sculpted in Rhodes, however, the drapery required much more skill and was then worked on in the Pergamon, the capital city of the Attalid dynasty, that was located in modern day Turkey. Not only this, but the word of the naval victory, as it was as very large, most likely spread across the whole empire, and with the greeks thanking the goddess of Victory for their win and even resorted to making an offering to her as well, most of the people of the empire would also accept the cause, therefore spreading the religion from Greece and most of Europe all the way into Asia Minor. This reinforces why the empire was created, as Hellenistic is derived from the greek word of Hellezein, which means to associate with or accept greek tradition, and that is exactly what the Winged Victory of Samothrace was supposed to do. Clearly, the sculpture is an embodiment of the spread of Greek culture throughout the Hellenistic Empire, as the spread was the reason the empire was established in the first place .
Sculpture of Homer
1st century B.C
Imperial Period (Roman copy)
Source: Museum of Fine Arts
Homer is a very distinctive figure in all of greek history, as many hold his epics and other stories in every high regards. He was known not only to revolutionize Greek literature, but literature all over the world. Although, Homer was not born in the Hellenistic period, his epics, and legacy did. Much was written and in this instance even sculpted for him, as his stories continued to spark interest in almost all readers. However, this late sculpture of Homer in the Hellenistic Age, eventually came into the hands of the Romans. After figuring out who the sculpture was for, the Romans too, accepted Homer’s stories, two of the most famous being the Iliad and the Odyssey. His legacy as the writer, helped hellenize more of the Hellenistic Empire, as his writings were mainly associated with greek cities and heroes. Also the Hellenistic Empire, is classical, due the spread of Greek culture and literature, which is reflected upon by the legacy of Homer. His legacy not only influenced many in the expanded kingdom, but continued the hellenization of the greeks, even after the empire was extinct.
Gold Stater of Alexander the Great
322-315 BC
Early Hellenistic Age
Metropolitan Museum of Art
This coin was part of the currency used throughout the Hellenistic Empire, and has the face of Alexander the Great. These coins were forged a little while after the death of Alexander, but were still used to remind the whole kingdom of the man who conquered almost all of the known world at the time. This particular coin also had a lot of value at the time, as it is a gold coin, and the other coins from the empire only consist of silver, and other types of metal. However, this coin does serve as how and why civilizations are created. As stated before, the portrait of Alexander the Great, was to remind the people of the kingdom how he conquered all of their respective areas in the span of 13 years. However, the reason of his conquest was to popularize greek culture across the known world, and make sure that the greeks had ultimate power. This coin embodies the extent of Alexander's great leadership and commanding in his conquests, as well as spread of greek culture, showing how this coin means so much more than currency for an extinct empire.
322-315 BC
Early Hellenistic Age
Metropolitan Museum of Art
This coin was part of the currency used throughout the Hellenistic Empire, and has the face of Alexander the Great. These coins were forged a little while after the death of Alexander, but were still used to remind the whole kingdom of the man who conquered almost all of the known world at the time. This particular coin also had a lot of value at the time, as it is a gold coin, and the other coins from the empire only consist of silver, and other types of metal. However, this coin does serve as how and why civilizations are created. As stated before, the portrait of Alexander the Great, was to remind the people of the kingdom how he conquered all of their respective areas in the span of 13 years. However, the reason of his conquest was to popularize greek culture across the known world, and make sure that the greeks had ultimate power. This coin embodies the extent of Alexander's great leadership and commanding in his conquests, as well as spread of greek culture, showing how this coin means so much more than currency for an extinct empire.
Bronze Statuette of a rider wearing elephant Skin
3rd Century B.C
Hellenistic
Metropolitan Museum of Art
This statue is a bronze representation of Alexander the Great as a ruler or Egypt, it could also be Demetrius of Bactria, but the time periods to not line up. This statue is only a small time after the death of Alexander, and is most likely created by Ptolemy, as Alexander had conquered Egypt and made a spectacular city of Alexandria. However, this statue represents why and how the Hellenistic Empire was created. The statue serves as a historical reminder to all inhabitants to Alexander the Great, the man who was fought and never lost a battle in his 15 years of straight conquest. However, it also served the purpose of creating larger greek communities within Alexandria and the whole of Egypt. To enforce this, this statue was made to force greek culture into the lives of the Egyptians, which did end up working as many were influenced not only by this but also by other general efforts to hellenize Egypt.
3rd Century B.C
Hellenistic
Metropolitan Museum of Art
This statue is a bronze representation of Alexander the Great as a ruler or Egypt, it could also be Demetrius of Bactria, but the time periods to not line up. This statue is only a small time after the death of Alexander, and is most likely created by Ptolemy, as Alexander had conquered Egypt and made a spectacular city of Alexandria. However, this statue represents why and how the Hellenistic Empire was created. The statue serves as a historical reminder to all inhabitants to Alexander the Great, the man who was fought and never lost a battle in his 15 years of straight conquest. However, it also served the purpose of creating larger greek communities within Alexandria and the whole of Egypt. To enforce this, this statue was made to force greek culture into the lives of the Egyptians, which did end up working as many were influenced not only by this but also by other general efforts to hellenize Egypt.
Marble Head of Ptolemaic Queen
270-250 B.C
Hellenistic
Metropolitan Museum of Art
This marble head depiction of a Ptolemaic Queen is none other than Arsinoe II, who ruled alongside her brother Ptolemy II, in Egypt. She was a descendant of Ptolemy, one of diadochi of Alexander who acquired Egypt after his death. However, the most important part of this sculpture is that it was created after her death, because upon her death, her brother Ptolemy II, declared her a goddess of both Egypt and Greece. This was an exceptional act by Ptolemy II, as he attempted to intertwine the cultures so that the people could slowly convert to a Greek lifestyle. For the most part that is what occured. She was supposedly associated with the deity of Isis in her Egyptian form. This creation of her, was made to worship, pray to, and remember the queen of the dynasty. This story and sculpture as Ptolemy II intented made Greek Mythology entangle with Egyptian mythology, therefore connecting the two worlds, forcing the people to accept the greek traditions, culture, and religion, despite not being greek. Nonetheless, other than a memorial of the queen, this sculpture served as a result of Ptolemy II acts of leadership, and how this act caused Greek influence Egyptian culture.
270-250 B.C
Hellenistic
Metropolitan Museum of Art
This marble head depiction of a Ptolemaic Queen is none other than Arsinoe II, who ruled alongside her brother Ptolemy II, in Egypt. She was a descendant of Ptolemy, one of diadochi of Alexander who acquired Egypt after his death. However, the most important part of this sculpture is that it was created after her death, because upon her death, her brother Ptolemy II, declared her a goddess of both Egypt and Greece. This was an exceptional act by Ptolemy II, as he attempted to intertwine the cultures so that the people could slowly convert to a Greek lifestyle. For the most part that is what occured. She was supposedly associated with the deity of Isis in her Egyptian form. This creation of her, was made to worship, pray to, and remember the queen of the dynasty. This story and sculpture as Ptolemy II intented made Greek Mythology entangle with Egyptian mythology, therefore connecting the two worlds, forcing the people to accept the greek traditions, culture, and religion, despite not being greek. Nonetheless, other than a memorial of the queen, this sculpture served as a result of Ptolemy II acts of leadership, and how this act caused Greek influence Egyptian culture.