The"Alexander Sarcophagus" at Istanbul Archaeological Museum. On one long side are carvings showing Alexander fighting Persian soldiers most likely at the Battle of Issus where he defeated Darius III for the first time. On the opposite side, he is hunting together with the Persians. Some interpretations have it that the hunting together scene represents Alexander's (failed) dream to unite Persians and Greeks/Macedonians to build a universal world order. More in my book The Once and Future World Order(preorder from Sept 2024)
Museum description:
"Alexander Sarcophagus
Together with the other three sarcophagi on display in the same hall, the Alexander Sarcophagus, one of the masterpieces in the world of archaeology, was discovered in chamber Ill of Hypogeum A.
In actual fact the sarcophagus does not belong to the Macedonian King Alexander the Great, but takes its name from a war scene on one of the longer side of the sarcophagus portraying him. Made of Pentelic marble, one long and one short side of the sarcophagus depict war scenes, while the other long and short sides portray scenes of hunting, all of which were carved in high relief and painted.
The Alexander Sarcophagus is the necropolis' latest dated sarcophagus. Its style and iconographic elements indicate that it belonged to Abdalonymos, the last king of Sidon. A distant relative of the Sidonian royal family, Abdalonymos was appointed ruler by general Hephaestion, who was assigned by Alexander to choose the city's king after the Battle of Issus. The sarcophagus portrays important events in the life of Abdalonymos. One of the long sides depicts the Battle of Issus, the decisive victory that provided a gateway to Syria for Alexander and paved the way for Abdalonymos to become king. The first figure in the scene is Alexander the Great, visualized on horseback with a lion's skin on his head. Some have suggested that the figure in the center of the composition is Hephaestion, while the figure at the other end of the scene is Perdiccas or Krateros, both important generals in Alexander's army.
The figure central to the hunting scene on the other long side of the sarcophagus is believed to be Abdalonymos. The figure who comes to his assistance is Alexander.
Here, Macedonians and Persians are depicted hunting together in a comradely fashion. This synergy probably represents Alexander's policy to forge harmony between the Macedonians and Greeks.
It is suggested that the relief of female heads on the ridge beam and the antefixes of the sarcophagus lid represent Atargatis, Asia Minor's goddess of nature. Atargatis symbolizes nature's death in winter and revival in spring. Therefore, the yellowing vine leaves on a purple background on the sarcophagus lid must be related to this symbolism. The lions, griffins and three-horned lion heads are all considered guardians of the tomb. The wing symbolizes the eagle that carries the spirit of the dead to the heavens. It is thought that the subject of Perdiccas' slaughter during the Egyptian campaign, after the death of Alexander, was depicted on one of the lid's pediments. The fact that the scene reflects a sudden attack rather than a battle seems to reinforce this view.
On the other pediment we see Abdalonymos and his soldiers fighting the Macedonians. This scene is said to represent the Battle of Gaza (312 BCE), fought between Alexander's successors after his death. In this battle Abdalonymos supported Perdiccas and Demetrius. Taking this date into consideration, and the probability that the battle scene may have been influenced by the Alexander Mosaic, where the famous artist Philoxenos portrays the Battle of Issus or the Battle of Gaugamela, the sarcophagus can be dated between the years 312-307 BCE."
No comments:
Post a Comment