HESPERIA 78 (2OO9) HUNTING THE ESCHATA Pages 455-48o An Imagined Persian Empire on the lekythos of Xenophantos ABSTRACT an The so-called lekythos of Xenophantos presents image unparalleled in vase a scene Greek painting. In thatbelongs fullyto neither theworld of reality nor that ofmyth, Persians hunt griffins,among other prey.The author offersa new reading of the scene as a fictionalized account of Persian conquest, inwhich the borders of the empire have reached the edges of the earth, the eschata. Such a scenario has parallels inHerodotoss stories of the Persians' (inappropriate) as territorialaspirations; in these accounts, Persians seek to expand theirpower beyond itsnatural limits, they aremet with failure and punishment. THE LEKYTHOS OF XENOPHANTOS B.C. A 4th-century squat lekythos in St. Petersburg is the largest of itskind to survive, and, decorated in red-figure and with relief appliques, paint, one most ornate and gilding, it is also of the (Figs. 1-3).1 A relief frieze at the of vase a a shoulder the features Gigantomachy and Centauromachy, separated byNikai driving chariots, and above these figures is the signature of the potter, Xenophantos the Athenian (5EN0OANT0I EflOIHIEN on AOHN).2 It is the image the body of the vessel, however, that sets this vase a scene opulent furtherapart from its contemporaries. In unique in the extantHellenic visual tradition, Persians?on foot, on horseback, and in a chariot?hunt a of a variety preywithin detailed landscape setting; the prey in cludes two a most boars, deer, and, unusual among the game, two griffins. 1. For their to to Gloria Ferrari museum thoughtful responses grateful Pinney for her acquired by the in 1837; see various drafts of this I thank at this article, guidance every stage of project. Cohen 2006, p. 141.As for the sig Irene Carmen Arnold Unless otherwise all transla the ethnic is J.Winter, noted, nature, complete (HENO Biucchi, Betsey Robinson, J. Robert tions are my own. OANTOI EflOIHIEN AOHNAIOX) and the two 2. St. on a Webb, C.Jacob Butera, Petersburg, State Hermitage second lekythos from the same reviewers for Museum ni837.2 of anonymous Hesperia. (St. 1790):ARV2 region Pantikapaion: St. Peters Iwould also like to thank no. most Cohen State Kathryn 1407, 1; recently, 2006, burg, Hermitage Museum 108i: and Topper Melissa Haynes for their pp. 140-142, no. 37. Lezzi-Hafter ARV2 1407, no. 2; Zervoudaki 1968, invaluable assistance in for arranging (2008, p. 184) argues fora date around p. 26, no. 36. I am 400 b.c. for the vase. was image permissions. especially The lekythos ? The American School of Classical Studies at Athens HALLIE MALCOLM FRANKS 456 KJ * )Ve f qAw, Figure 1. Persian hunt. Red-figure and relief squat lekythos,ca. 400 380 B.C., signed byXenophantos (potter):front view; detail of hunter labeled "Cyrus." St. Petersburg, State Hermitage Museum 111837.2 (St. 1790). Photos ? State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg HUNTING THE ESCHATA 457 4r, 4r' U. Figure 2. Persian hunt. Red-figure and reliefsquat lekythos,ca. 400 380 B.C., signed byXenophantos (potter): view from left;detail of grif fin. St. State Petersburg, Hermitage Museum 111837.2 (St. 1790). Photos ? State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg HALLIE MALCOLM FRANKS 39 Figure 3. Drawing of theXenophan This has eluded in because it image explanation, part incorporates tos lekythos,St. Petersburg 111837.2 Greek and Persianizing elements, and in part because it combines features (St. 1790). Stephani1866, pi. IV.Photo to From the "real" courtesy Boston Public Library, Fine Arts that belong to theworld of reality and the imaginary. as we were in Department world are the landscape elements (which, will see, familiar Greece) and the Persians, with whom theGreeks had very real interactions; are from the fantastic imaginary the griffins,wild beasts encountered only in stories of exotic and distant?indeed, unreachable?lands. In thisway, to of the the image does not easily conform the traditional classification vase as or reflections of subjects of painting either representations ofmyth as recent to more daily life.But scholars have come, in years, explore fully to the time is the potential for images fall outside of these categories, ripe for a reconsideration of this long-known scene.3 Here, I investigate the come as well points at which these features of myth and reality together, scene. as the kind of tradition thatmay be expressed visually by this a The hunt takes place, I shall argue, in the land of theHyperboreans, favorite of theGreek located at the northern of sanctuary god Apollo edges 3. On the move away from the near are to live. was a that the restrictive division of vase into the earth, which the griffins said This place painting was so and scenes, see Bazant Greeks themselves could only imagine, since it distant thatGreek "myth" "genre" come contact 1981;Harvey 1988 (who introduces travelersnever managed to reach it.Persians, however, did into as a third of as "fantasy" category repre with the occupants of exotic lands their borders and imperial similarly sentation); Sourvinou-Inwood 1991, even increased, and as to the extremities an aspirations they sought incorporate pp. 63-64 (regarding emblematic of theworld?the eschata?into their I the of Ferrari empire. interpret Xenophantos category representation); as a in 2003. lekythos visual conceptualization of such Persian imperial expansion, HUNTING THE ESCHATA 459 to which their conquered territoryhas swelled include the very edges of the world. Despite appearances, however, this accomplishment does not bode a well for the Persians: by intruding upon the land of theHyperboreans, place sacred toApollo, they have overstepped limits set in place by the gods and by nature. In Greek literary sources, this kind of unrestrained conquest is an act an not as of hubris, and such offense does go unpunished; in the vase are sure literary accounts, the Persians of theXenophantos to receive nor their inevitable comeuppance. A representation of neither myth real seen as a ity,this image may be kind of fictional exemplum, inwhich the setting evokes Greek conceptions of natural boundaries, and the Persians illustrate the kind of men that transgress them. to a The lekythos ofXenophantos belongs group of six similar leky a thoi, each ofwhich depicts hunt (of boar, lion, or deer), and all ofwhich have been to a vase was attributed single workshop.4 The St. Petersburg near at found Kerch the site of ancient Pantikapaion in the Crimea, and are three others of the group also from this region; the other two were in s found Italy.5The location of Xenophantos workshop is unknown. The have lekythoimay been produced inAthens for export,which might s explain Xenophantos inclusion oiAthenaios in his signature; alternatively, the workshop may have been located outside of Athens, and the ethnic have as an may distinguished him Athenian among local competition.6 Whatever the of s location Xenophantos workshop, the wide geograph ical of distribution the findspots suggests that these lekythoi were not an produced with exclusive Black Sea market in mind.7 Xenophantos's notable on his emphasis Athenian identity supports the premise put forth Miller that the context byMargaret cultural against which the lekythoi of the Xenophantos group should be considered is an Athenian one.8 to I return this point below. a of this Although part group of six, the St. Petersburg lekythos is quite distinct the it m from others: is the largest (0.38 high), and, in terms of the the most more decoration, complex and detailed, including figures than the a of others, special type prey (the griffin), and specific and prominent landscape features, the incorporation of which is not common in vase The decoration is also painting. particularly sumptuous. Eight of the 13 hunters and all of the are prey moldmade relief figures.These figureswere in various colors painted (white, red, blue, and green) and portions were Other such as the hunters' gilded. elements, weaponry and the landscape were rendered with extruded features, clay and also included gilded detail The five ing.9 remaining hunters, who appear at the edges of the scene, are in as depicted red-figure, is the elaborate vegetal decoration located under the vessels handle. 4. Zervoudaki 1968, 26-28, from Zervoudaki 27 who in favor of a pp. Italy: 1968, pp. argues workshop lo nos. see 35-40 (Workshop I); also 28, no. 38 (fromRuvo); p. 28, no. 39 cated in the Crimea. Lezzi-Hafter 2008, p. 179. (from Canosa). 7.Miller 2003, pp. 31-33. 5. in addition to our Those, primary 6.This issue ismuch debated; see 8.Miller 2003, p. 33. from the Black lekythos, Sea region: Gerhard 1856; Stephani 1866, p. 140. 9. See Cohen 2006, pp. 141-142, Zervoudaki no. 36 1968, p. 26, (from Peredolskaya (1945) argues thatthe clay and Lezzi-Hafter 2008, pp. 178-184, 27, no. 37 is and this is in for details of Kerch); p. (fromVarna); Attic, accepted Cohen technique. no. 40 p. 28, (fromApollonia). Those 2006, p. 142. See alsoTiverios (1997), 460 HALLIE MALCOLM FRANKS Seven of the hunters are labeled, and of those, five have Persian or names: Eastern-sounding Atramis, Abrokomas, Seisames, Darius, and are names to Cyrus.10 The latter two, of course, belonging historical Achae as are menid royalty, and were well known to ancient Greeks, they to as a modern scholars.11The other two named hunters are labeled Euryalos, name one was an sharedwith of theEpigoni, who also Argonaut (Apollod. 1.9.17) and who led theArgives atTroy(Paus. 2.20.5; Apollod. 1.9.13,3.7.2; name one 77. 2.565), and Klytios, the of of the brothers of King Priam of Troy (//.3.146).