Protective Talismans and Archaic Relics: the Trojan Palladion on the North Metopes of the Parthenon (Ioannis Mitsios, University of Athens)
1:00pm - 2:00pm /
Thursday 5th November 2020
Type: Webinar /
Category: Department
- Rachael Cornwell
- Admission: Please email Rachael Cornwell (R.H.Cornwell@liverpool.ac.uk) or Daniel Lowes (D.G.Lowes@liverpool.ac.uk) for the Zoom link.
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The trojan palladion — according to the tradition (Apollodorus 3.12.3) — was a protective talisman — fallen from the sky — that safeguarded the city of Troy from defeat, until it was stolen and carried off to the Greek camp, hastening the fall of the city. Its presence warded off danger and destruction from those lucky enough to possess it and its special power arose from its “heavenly” origin, a fact that resembles the fall of meteors from the sky.
The palladion is directly linked to several protective powers of the goddess Athena, evoked through the following four epithets: Polias (of the citadel), Erysipolis (she who protects the citadel), Poliouchos (she who holds the citadel) and Eryna (defensive). After the theft of the palladion from the city of Troy, several cities claimed its possession, including Athens, Siris, Lucerna, Rome and Constantinople, confirming that this sacred talisman was very important throughout the ancient history of the Mediterranean.
In terms of the architectural sculpture of the Parthenon, we may have up to four depictions of the palladion on the north metopes, which concern the Sack of Troy. But why was it shown so many times and, most importantly, what’s the relation between its multiple depictions and the topography of the Acropolis? By employing an interdisciplinary approach, my paper aims to interpret the multiple depictions of the trojan palladion on the architectural sculpture of the Parthenon, its relation to the topography of the Acropolis and its function as a protective talisman.
The palladion is directly linked to several protective powers of the goddess Athena, evoked through the following four epithets: Polias (of the citadel), Erysipolis (she who protects the citadel), Poliouchos (she who holds the citadel) and Eryna (defensive). After the theft of the palladion from the city of Troy, several cities claimed its possession, including Athens, Siris, Lucerna, Rome and Constantinople, confirming that this sacred talisman was very important throughout the ancient history of the Mediterranean.
In terms of the architectural sculpture of the Parthenon, we may have up to four depictions of the palladion on the north metopes, which concern the Sack of Troy. But why was it shown so many times and, most importantly, what’s the relation between its multiple depictions and the topography of the Acropolis? By employing an interdisciplinary approach, my paper aims to interpret the multiple depictions of the trojan palladion on the architectural sculpture of the Parthenon, its relation to the topography of the Acropolis and its function as a protective talisman.