Alexander Sarcophagus & Mosaic
John Murphy
by Alexander's vassal the King of Sidon and now at the archeological
museum in Istanbul? Are the color painted figures on the sarcophagus
considered to accurately represent the dress and equipment of Alexander's
soldiers?
2. Is there any accurate representation, as far as dress and equipment,
of these same soldiers by the figures depicted, in color, on the
"Alexander Mosaic", supposedly a Roman copy of a contemporary painting
(possibly a painting by Apelles of Alexander in battle against the
Persians)? Is this mosaic the same as the "Issus Mosaic" (I think this is
from Pompey, but not sure) which shows Alexander and Darius?
Are there any other signifigant archeological sources with depictions of
these soldiers- color or otherwise- which are considered accurate?
Macedon
<jmu...@pop.shentel.net> says:
>1. Who is supposedly buried in the "Alexander Sarcophagus", commissioned
>by Alexander's vassal the King of Sidon and now at the archeological
>museum in Istanbul? Are the color painted figures on the sarcophagus
>considered to accurately represent the dress and equipment of Alexander's
>soldiers?
With hopes I am not helping someone cheat on an art history exam (but it's
a bit early for exams yet)... Abdalonymus, King of Sidon (so appointed by
Hephaistion, Alex's best buddy and eventual chilliarch, though at the time
of the appointment, he was a minor under-officer). As for the colors, yes
they're assumed to be correct, or mostly so.
>2. Is there any accurate representation, as far as dress and equipment,
>of these same soldiers by the figures depicted, in color, on the
>"Alexander Mosaic", supposedly a Roman copy of a contemporary painting
>(possibly a painting by Apelles of Alexander in battle against the
>Persians)? Is this mosaic the same as the "Issus Mosaic" (I think this is
>from Pompey, but not sure) which shows Alexander and Darius?
I'm confused as to your question here? Are you asking if the colors are
accurate or inaccurate? As I recall, the color-scheme of the mosaic was
more limited than that of the sarcophagus, and was probably subject to
the "tone" the original wished to convey by use of color (ala Rembrant).
Yes, the mosaic came from Pompeii and is sometimes referred to as the
Pompeii Mosaic, as well as the Alexander Mosaic.
>Are there any other signifigant archeological sources with depictions of
>these soldiers- color or otherwise- which are considered accurate?
For one of the best, recent, comments on the art history of Alexander
images, I would direct you to Andrew Stewart's 1994 (?) FACES OF POWER.
He is probably *the* leading specialist on Alex's image. I'm not as
sure about details on the colors. Do you mean the colors of the
uniforms, I assume?
In that respect, equally important evidence is coming out of Macedonia
all the time. Check out the tomb painting from Vergina, Pella, et al.
You can start with wonderful picture books like M. Andronikos' VERGINA
or PHILIP OF MACEDON, Hatzopoulos and Loukopoulos, eds. Also see S.
Miller THE TOMB OF LYSON AND KALLIKLES.
\ | / | Macedon
-->*<-- | Department of History
/ | \ | Penn State University
| jr...@psuvm.psu.edu
Thomas M. Simms
Sorry I have to begin this without snipping the above, but the most exact
color rendition of the Alexander Sarcophagus are the water colors done as the
Sarcophagus was being "dug up" and which rest at the Museum of Fine Arts
Boston, so says Corneilius Vermeule, Curator, Classical Arts. By that record,
Alexander was blond and fair. Since the King knew both Alexandros and
Hephaistion, he would know if there were errors in his sarcophagus.
Tom Simms
Tom Simms