Ethne in Aphrodisias’ Sebasteion - IV: ΚΡΗΤΗ
Ethne in Aphrodisias’ Sebasteion - IV: ΚΡΗΤΗ
Ethnos of Greek island in peplos (Crete ?). The figure wears a thick, sleeveless dress (peplos) and a short himation, and stands with the weight on her right leg, her head turned looking to her left in three-quarter view. Both hands once held attributes. The hair is gathered in a tight bun at the back with one curl escaping on to the neck. This is a familiar ideal hairstyle of Greek women and goddesses. Hairstyle, dress and pose seem designed to characterize the figure as unambiguously Greek and 'free', as opposed to barbarian and captive.
Her dress is thick and arranged in a manner close to a classical peplos. A short himation or shawl is draped over the right shoulder, brought across the chest and hung over the left forearm. This figure, then, speaks a thoroughly Hellenized language in both drapery and hairstyle and should therefore represent one of the three Greek islands, Crete, Cyprus or Sicily, all of whose bases were found close to this panel at the very east end of the north portico.
Source: Smith R.R., Simulacra Gentium: The Ethne from the Sebasteion at Aphrodisias
Roman bas-relief
Claudius – early Nero age: approx. 41 - 60 AD
Aphrodisias, Archaeological Museum
Aphrodisias, Caria, Turkey
Ethne in Aphrodisias’ Sebasteion - IV: ΚΡΗΤΗ
Ethne in Aphrodisias’ Sebasteion - IV: ΚΡΗΤΗ
Ethnos of Greek island in peplos (Crete ?). The figure wears a thick, sleeveless dress (peplos) and a short himation, and stands with the weight on her right leg, her head turned looking to her left in three-quarter view. Both hands once held attributes. The hair is gathered in a tight bun at the back with one curl escaping on to the neck. This is a familiar ideal hairstyle of Greek women and goddesses. Hairstyle, dress and pose seem designed to characterize the figure as unambiguously Greek and 'free', as opposed to barbarian and captive.
Her dress is thick and arranged in a manner close to a classical peplos. A short himation or shawl is draped over the right shoulder, brought across the chest and hung over the left forearm. This figure, then, speaks a thoroughly Hellenized language in both drapery and hairstyle and should therefore represent one of the three Greek islands, Crete, Cyprus or Sicily, all of whose bases were found close to this panel at the very east end of the north portico.
Source: Smith R.R., Simulacra Gentium: The Ethne from the Sebasteion at Aphrodisias
Roman bas-relief
Claudius – early Nero age: approx. 41 - 60 AD
Aphrodisias, Archaeological Museum
Aphrodisias, Caria, Turkey