Journal | Axon
Journal issue | 6 | 1 | 2022
Research Article | Dedication of Messenians and Naupactians from Olympia
Dedication of Messenians and Naupactians from Olympia
Abstract
In the sanctuary of Olympia, Messenians and Naupactians dedicated a marble Nike to Olympian Zeus. The votive offering bears an inscription, engraved in the Ionic alphabet and inscribed in the Doric dialect, which consists of four lines, with the first pair bearing the dedication of Messenians and Naupactians, and the latter the ‘signature’ of the sculptor, Paionios of Mende. The reason for the dedication is to be found in the war events that occurred in the final phases of the so-called ‘Archidamic war’, indicatively between 425 and 421 BC. The alliance relations between Messenians and Athenians are the element that makes it possible to clarify the presence of the Nike of Paionios at Olympia: to this and a similar offer in Delphi correspond two Nikai dedicated by the Athenians on the Acropolis to commemorate the Aetolian campaign and the companies of Pylos and Sphacteria.
Submitted: Feb. 8, 2022 | Accepted: April 19, 2022 | Published June 20, 2022 | Language: it
Keywords Olympia • Dedication • Messenians • Olympian Zeus • Doric dialect • Votive offering • Nike • Delphi
Copyright © 2022 Davide Tronchin. This is an open-access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction is permitted, provided that the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. The license allows for commercial use. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Permalink http://doi.org/10.30687/Axon/2532-6848/2022/01/003
