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Battlefield or Stadium?

"Head from a statue of a young man", marble, Rome, Italy about 120-140CE after a Greek original, about 430 BCE. Exhibited in the exhibition "Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors and Heroes at the National Museum of Australia, Canberra. It is unlikely a soldier would have worn his helmet like this during battle as it would have left him vulnerable to attack. The sculptor probably revealed his subject's face to convey a sense of action, tension or even fear. Alternatively, this young man may have been competing in the "hoplitodromos", a race run in full armour that was a popular eventuate sporting competitions.

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Uploaded on February 26, 2022
Taken on February 13, 2022