The Ancient World

Mosaic with the removal of Briseis Roman, A.D. 100 - 200  Stone and glass The J. Paul Getty Museum “About to lose possession of the concubine Briseis to Agamemnon, Achilles sits morosely, leaning his head on his hand. This contest between two great Greek warriors set in motion the rest of Homer’s epic poem, the Iliad. Achilles’ companion Patrokles is on the far left, and an elderly bearded man, probably Phoenix, stands beside him in the center of this fragmentary Roman mosaic. Only Briseis’s face remains, just to the right of Phoenix; the rest of her body has been largely destroyed. At the right, partially preserved, are the two heralds who will take the slave girl to Agamemnon. The Romans made mosaics from tesserae, tiny cubes of stone or occasionally other materials, set into a bed of mortar. They used mosaics to cover the floors in wealthy private homes and public buildings. Roman mosaics show strong regional differences; this example appears to have originated in the eastern Mediterranean in the 100s A.D. Mosaics in the formerly Greek areas of the eastern Mediterranean often depicted complex mythological themes such as this one.”

Mosaic with the removal of Briseis

Roman, A.D. 100 - 200 
Stone and glass

The J. Paul Getty Museum

“About to lose possession of the concubine Briseis to Agamemnon, Achilles sits morosely, leaning his head on his hand. This contest between two great Greek warriors set in motion the rest of Homer’s epic poem, the Iliad. Achilles’ companion Patrokles is on the far left, and an elderly bearded man, probably Phoenix, stands beside him in the center of this fragmentary Roman mosaic. Only Briseis’s face remains, just to the right of Phoenix; the rest of her body has been largely destroyed. At the right, partially preserved, are the two heralds who will take the slave girl to Agamemnon.

The Romans made mosaics from tesserae, tiny cubes of stone or occasionally other materials, set into a bed of mortar. They used mosaics to cover the floors in wealthy private homes and public buildings. Roman mosaics show strong regional differences; this example appears to have originated in the eastern Mediterranean in the 100s A.D. Mosaics in the formerly Greek areas of the eastern Mediterranean often depicted complex mythological themes such as this one.”

echoofmydreams asked: About that Demeter post...I am sorry but when you post something please do some research on it...Kore was not the name of her daughter,Kore means daughter in Greek...Her daughter's name was Persephone and she was married to Hades...I think that anyone with the slightest greek history knowledge is aware of this...

Although it is true that Demeter’s daughter was called Persephone, another name for her was Kore denoting her function as “the maiden” especially in relation to the Eleusinian Mysteries. Kore was in fact her original name, and she was known as Persephone later. There are many reputable sites that corroborate this information if you are interested in learning some more about Kore. Pantheon.org and arthistory.sbc.edu both have articles about Persephone which reference her duality as Kore.

Votive Relief to Demeter and Kore Greek, 425 - 400 B.C. Marble The J. Paul Getty Museum “Demeter, the goddess of fertility and agriculture, sits on a rock, wearing a polos, or crown. Her daughter Kore stands behind her holding the key to a temple. These two deities are connected with the cult of the Eleusinian Mysteries, which offered the possibility of a better afterlife to its initiates. Little is known of the precise promises of the cult or its ritual, as absolute secrecy was demanded of initiates. In front of the seated goddess, the lower legs are all that remain of the figure of Triptolemos, a young hero whose mission was to spread knowledge of agriculture to mortals. At the far right of the scene, on a lower level and at a smaller scale, are the lower legs of a figure, probably belonging to a human worshipper. In the 400s B.C. Greeks flocked to the cult of the Eleusinian Mysteries, and images of the cult’s deities proliferated. A relief such as this one would have been placed in a sanctuary as an offering to the gods.”

Votive Relief to Demeter and Kore

Greek, 425 - 400 B.C.
Marble

The J. Paul Getty Museum

“Demeter, the goddess of fertility and agriculture, sits on a rock, wearing a polos, or crown. Her daughter Kore stands behind her holding the key to a temple. These two deities are connected with the cult of the Eleusinian Mysteries, which offered the possibility of a better afterlife to its initiates. Little is known of the precise promises of the cult or its ritual, as absolute secrecy was demanded of initiates. In front of the seated goddess, the lower legs are all that remain of the figure of Triptolemos, a young hero whose mission was to spread knowledge of agriculture to mortals. At the far right of the scene, on a lower level and at a smaller scale, are the lower legs of a figure, probably belonging to a human worshipper.

In the 400s B.C. Greeks flocked to the cult of the Eleusinian Mysteries, and images of the cult’s deities proliferated. A relief such as this one would have been placed in a sanctuary as an offering to the gods.”

Pair of altars with Aphrodite and Adonis Greek, Taras, South Italy, 400 - 375 B.C. Terracotta and pigment The J. Paul Getty Museum

Pair of altars with Aphrodite and Adonis

Greek, Taras, South Italy, 400 - 375 B.C.
Terracotta and pigment

The J. Paul Getty Museum

Head of the young Bacchus Roman, A.D. 1 - 50  Bronze and silver The J. Paul Getty Museum

Head of the young Bacchus

Roman, A.D. 1 - 50 
Bronze and silver

The J. Paul Getty Museum

Incense burner supported by Nike Greek, Taras, South Italy, about 500 - 480 B.C. Terracotta and pigment The J. Paul Getty Museum

Incense burner supported by Nike

Greek, Taras, South Italy, about 500 - 480 B.C.
Terracotta and pigment

The J. Paul Getty Museum

Disk pendant earrings with a figure of Eros Greek, Alexandria, Egypt, 220 - 100 B.C. Gold and pearls The J. Paul Getty Museum

Disk pendant earrings with a figure of Eros

Greek, Alexandria, Egypt, 220 - 100 B.C.
Gold and pearls

The J. Paul Getty Museum

Triptych panel with a painted image of Isis Romano-Egyptian, Egypt, about A.D. 100 Tempera on wood The J. Paul Getty Museum

Triptych panel with a painted image of Isis

Romano-Egyptian, Egypt, about A.D. 100 
Tempera on wood

The J. Paul Getty Museum

Poet as Orpheus with Two Sirens Greek, Taras, South Italy, about 350 - 300 B.C. Terracotta and pigment The J. Paul Getty Museum

Poet as Orpheus with Two Sirens

Greek, Taras, South Italy, about 350 - 300 B.C.
Terracotta and pigment

The J. Paul Getty Museum

Hoop earrings with Maenads Greek, Eastern Mediterranean, 100 - 1 B.C. Gold The J. Paul Getty Museum

Hoop earrings with Maenads

Greek, Eastern Mediterranean, 100 - 1 B.C.
Gold

The J. Paul Getty Museum