Hellenistic royal portraits

Author(s)

• Smith, R. R. R.

Bibliographic Information

Hellenistic royal portraits

R.R.R. Smith

（Oxford monographs on classical archaeology）

Clarendon Press , Oxford University Press, 1988

Note

Revision of thesis

Bibliography: p. [184]-186

Includes indexes

Description and Table of Contents

Description

The visual image of the ruler, particularly in sculpture, played an important role in expressing the character of the new, distinctive style of monarchy brought to Greece and the East by Alexander and the Hellenistic kings. Royal portraits survive on coins and in sculpture, and we read about them in inscriptions and literature - evidence that is here combined to give an historical interpretation of the royal image from Alexander to Kleopatra. Part I looks at the historical setting of royal portrait statues, which functioned as an important medium of exchange between the king and the Greek cities. They gave a visual presentation of royal ideology and expressed the basis of the king's power in a personal godlike charisma. Part II collects together and analyses the major surviving portraits, grouped broadly by time and place, and Part III sets them in the wider political context of the period. The dated coin portraits are used to show broad changes in the royal image and how it responded to the major political challenges from Parthia to the East and Rome to the West.

Table of Contents

• Part 1 The context of royal portraits: media for the royal image
• functions of royal statues
• statue types, diadems and attributes
• royal image and kingship theory. Part 2 The sculptured portraits: Alexander and Diadochs
• the Villa of the Papyri
• other mid-Hellenistic portraits
• the Ptolemies and Egypt
• the later Hellenistic period. Part 3 Portraits and politics: king and city to the 2nd century
• late Hellenistic and Parthian kings
• Romans and their friends
• Pompey, Augustus and kings under Empire. Appendices: 1 - the Hellenistic dynasties
• 2 - previous studies
• 3 - Philip II
• 4 - Torlonia "Euthydemos"
• 5 - 3rd century Ptolemies
• 6 - Cyprus
• 7 - Iran
• 8 - statues and statuettes.

by "Nielsen BookData"

• NCID: BA06774548
• ISBN:
  • 0198132247
• LCCN: 88022099
• Country Code: uk
• Title Language Code: eng
• Text Language Code: eng
• Place of Publication: Oxford [Oxfordshire],New York
• Pages/Volumes: xvii, 196 p., 80 p. of plates
• Size: 29 cm
• Classification:
  • LCC : DF235.3
  • DC19 : 938
• Subject Headings:
  • LCSH : Portrait sculpture, Hellenistic -- Political aspects
  • LCSH : Portrait sculpture (in numismatics) -- Political aspects
  • LCSH : Mediterranean Region -- Kings and rulers -- Portraits
  • LCSH : Mediterranean Region -- Antiquities
• Parent Bibliography ID:
  • BA00323364