Heracles’ Labors Sarcophagus -III
The deeds of the mature Heracles
The leftmost is the fourth scene illustrating the deed of Hercules against the Ceryneian hind. His left knee is pressed on the back of the animal, and his hands, holding the deer horns, are bending its head. From this scene onwards Heracles is portrayed as a bearded mature man.
The fifth arch is dedicated to the deed against the Stymphalian birds: the formidable man-eating birds with beaks of bronze. Heracles is drawing his bow and is about to shoot an arrow against the birds. One of these lies on the ground, between the feet of the hero, pierced by his arrows.
The sixth and last scene is dedicated to the killing of Hippolyta, the queen of the Amazons. Heracles presses his left foot against her body while his right hand grasps and rips off the belt gifted to Hippolyta by his father Ares.
The organization of the scenes within arches recalls models coming from the Near-East provinces of the Empire, usually limited to the exposure of the first five labors.
In this case, the episode of Heracles against Hippolyta has been added by the artist. This scene in the chronology of Labors carved on sarcophagi in continuous frieze ranks sixth.
The organization of the scenes, the architectural structure where they are inserted place this sarcophagus in the average Antoninian age, approx. 180 -200 DC.
Marble sarcophagus
Approx. 180-200 AD
Rome, Museo Nazionale Romano, Terme di Diocleziano
Heracles’ Labors Sarcophagus -III
The deeds of the mature Heracles
The leftmost is the fourth scene illustrating the deed of Hercules against the Ceryneian hind. His left knee is pressed on the back of the animal, and his hands, holding the deer horns, are bending its head. From this scene onwards Heracles is portrayed as a bearded mature man.
The fifth arch is dedicated to the deed against the Stymphalian birds: the formidable man-eating birds with beaks of bronze. Heracles is drawing his bow and is about to shoot an arrow against the birds. One of these lies on the ground, between the feet of the hero, pierced by his arrows.
The sixth and last scene is dedicated to the killing of Hippolyta, the queen of the Amazons. Heracles presses his left foot against her body while his right hand grasps and rips off the belt gifted to Hippolyta by his father Ares.
The organization of the scenes within arches recalls models coming from the Near-East provinces of the Empire, usually limited to the exposure of the first five labors.
In this case, the episode of Heracles against Hippolyta has been added by the artist. This scene in the chronology of Labors carved on sarcophagi in continuous frieze ranks sixth.
The organization of the scenes, the architectural structure where they are inserted place this sarcophagus in the average Antoninian age, approx. 180 -200 DC.
Marble sarcophagus
Approx. 180-200 AD
Rome, Museo Nazionale Romano, Terme di Diocleziano