HESPERIA 74 (2OO5) THE TEMPLE OF ZEUS Pages 211-241 AT OLYMPIA, HEROES, AND ATHLETES ABSTRACT The two pediments and twelve metopes adorning the Temple of Zeus at ca. Olympia of 470-456 b.c. have been the subject of scholarly inquiry since their discovery in the 19th century. These inquiries tend to treat the sculp or tural elements separately from each other, largely detached from their Olympic context, and to interpret the sculptures as negative admonitions or about hubris and consequent justice, or about dike and arete, as political The examines the as a allegories. present study sculptures programmatic unity intimately connected with Olympia and the activities that occurred there and to the were created argues that, contrary previous interpretations, sculptures serve as to positive models to inspire and exhort Olympic athletes to deeds of honor and glory. As Olympic competitors entered the site of Olympia in the second half of b.c. a mer the fifth century (Fig. 1), they walked past crowd of onlookers, were chants, Olympic officials, and religious officials, who able to admire the stunning specimens of masculinity filing by.1 As they walked past the see west side of the Temple of Zeus, the athletes could look up to sculp a tures in the pediment that depicted the Centauromachy, myth instantly recognizable to them (Fig. 2). Rounding the south side of the sanctuary, the athletes entered the Altis and assembled before the Temple of Zeus. um. 1.Mary Ann Carolan, Eve D'Am Norbert Eschbach shared his Comments and criticism from the two Richard and Corinne of the bra, Garner, photos G?ttingen lekythos and anonymous readers sharpened the final Pache offered their answered Discussion as generously exper questions. gener product. And, ever, Greg Barringer tise on various at drafts of this article, ated by audiences Wesleyan Univer offered comments, advice, and support and Hans Goette read and at in I am Rupprecht sity, the AI A/APA meetings San innumerable ways. profoundly on text to commented extensively the and Diego in 2001, Yale University, the grateful all of the above, whose sug at and criticisms have kindly provided additional bibliography. State University of New York New gestions improved Goette also new of the the Classical Association provided photos Paltz, meeting this study and whose friendship and a task made with at Leeds in the of are sculptures, possible 2003, University encouragement deeply appreciated; errors or are the permission and assistance of Klaus Edinburgh, and the Deutsches Arch?o whatever omissions remain the at Institut in Berlin was also Herrmann, Ephorate Olympia, logisches my responsibility. and the at the Muse in this work guards Olympia helpful pushing forward. ? The American School of Classical Studies at Athens American School of Classical Studies at Athens is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve, and extend access to Hesperia ® www.jstor.org 212 JUDITH M. BARRINGER ' \ : K . r\ o n ? ?6/ MS /wO? ^=^3/ S6"?DDggggBl iPelopionX ,8A?aus Theokoleon? "b3 Zeus-Tempe^ Schwimmbad <& phidias-Werkstatt 50 100 i i | i i i i h 1. Plan of down from the east were of Figure Olympia, Gazing pediment figures Pelops, Oinomaos, ca. B.C. 450 After S?flund 1970, fig. 1; and in the of chariot race Hippodameia?the key players myth Pelops's courtesy Astrom Editions were with Oinomaos (Fig. 3). All around the competitors votive dedica tions from successful athletes and cities, grateful for divine favor in athlet or on ics in battle, respectively. Having taken their oath of fair play pieces of sacrificed boar (em xocrcpoo xocTOfivucjocx- xouicov) in front of a statue of Zeus in the Bouleuterion (Paus. 5.24.9), athletes made obligatory offer to ings to Zeus and Pelops at the hero shrine to Pelops, the Pelopion (Paus. 5.13.8).2 Many would have peered through the colonnade of the Temple see of Zeus, where they could the labors of Herakles depicted in metopes crowning the pronaos and opisthodomos of the temple (Figs. 4, 5), and, after ca. 430, catch glimpses of the magnificent, colossal, chryselephantine seated statue of Zeus within the celia.3What did these athletes see when mean they looked at the sculptures adorning the Temple of Zeus? What ing did these myths and images convey to them? And what meaning did 2. On at the and the patrons of the temple intend? worship Pelopion its to at relationship that of Zeus the The meager architectural remains of the Temple of Zeus make it dif ash altar, see Burkert 1983, pp. 97-103. ficult to imagine this spectacle, but the sculptures from the temple survive Tulunay (1998, p. 453) states that new in condition and have received the intense of dozens of excavations stature to very good scrutiny reveal Pelops's scholars since their in 1831 and 1875.4 Scholars have tended to as as discovery have been nearly great that of Zeus at treat the sculptures, the two pediments and twelve metopes, in isolation, Olympia. 3. Sinn (2000, pp. 58, 69) claims both from each other and from the numerous activities at Olympia. The were as a that victorious athletes crowned goal in this paper is to read the sculptures meaningful ensemble within in the pronaos of the context ex temple. the of and its famous Panhellenic athletic games a Olympia by 4. For brief overview of the history not the and its but also their and see amining just temple sculptures physical of the excavations, Pimpinelli 1994, an cultural context, investigation that will entail discussion of three major pp. 350-351. THE TEMPLE OF ZEUS, HEROES, AND ATHLETES 213 r HT ill C D E FGHIK L MNOPQR S T 2. of recon Figure Temple Zeus, struction of west A. F. pediment by Stewart. Drawing Candace H. Smith; courtesy Smith and Stewart L C B K G H I F O M N E 3. of recon Figure Temple Zeus, struction of east pediment by A. F. Candace H. issues: athletics and its to warfare and Stewart. Drawing Smith; relationship military victory, gender courtesy Smith and Stewart use as roles and premarital rites, and the of Olympia display place for deeds can aman of glory that exalt beyond his mortality to everlasting kleos. The a new mean result of this study is interpretation of the sculptures and their ing for the ancient viewer. The marble sculptures that adorned the stuccoed, limestone Temple are some of Zeus, constructed by Libon of Elis (Paus. 5.10.3), of the best seen se known and most often monuments of antiquity.5 The temple is ca. b.c. on ter curely dated to 470-456 the basis of historical events. The minus post quern derives from Pausanias (5.10.2), who relates that the 5. On the marble, see now Herr was temple erected by the city of Elis from the spoils of its conquest of mann are 2000. All the sculptures of ca. neighboring Pisa, which Elis conquered 470. The terminus ante quern Parian marble, save the corner figures is established the evidence of the dedication of a shield west are by Spartans' gold of the pediment, which of are to on the of Zeus in commemoration of their defeat of Athenians Pentelic marble and thought be Temple Rehak 194. and others The defeat occurred in 457 and repairs. See, e.g., 1998, p. atTanagra (Paus. 5.10.4). b.c., 214 JUDITH M. BARRINGER QUERSCHNITTMIT ANSICHTDES PRONAOS : 1 *_._!_ - ZEUS TEMPEL 4. of recon Figure Temple Zeus, center struction of east facade of the celia. because the Spartans placed the shield in the of the temples apex, After Olympia I, pi. X the temple had to have been finished by that time. Although scholars exact cannot pinpoint the date of inception of the construction, the temples to a reno creation followed upon general improvements the site, including vation and enlargement of the stadion in the 470s and the introduction of to a new roster of events and expansion of the athletic games from three seem ca. five days, innovations that to have occurred 472.6 m Twelve sculpted metopes of Parian marble, approximately 1.6 square and carved with the labors of Herakles, graced the entablature of the pronaos and opisthodomos,7 six per side (Figs. 5, 6). The completion of these la was at bors guaranteed Herakles' immortality; he apotheosized the time of his death and is the only mortal to be honored in this fashion. Pindar {01. 6.67-69; 10.24-25,57-59) and Pausanias (5.7.6-10) claim that Herakles so at founded the Olympic games, and Pindar specifies that he did the site of the Pelopion {0110.24-25), which, according to Pausanias (5.13.2), Her akles founded. Pausanias also that Herakles founded the central reports 6. Sinn (1994, p. 592; 1991, p. 50), ash altar to Zeus at Olympia (5.13.8) and introduced the wild olive into who cites Felix Jacoby; Knell 1990, 79-80. On the motivation for Greece from the land of the Hyperboreans (5.7.7; also Pind. 01. 3.11-18); pp. Pim crowns erecting the temple, see, recently, these olive trees provided the victory for the Olympic victors (Paus. who on pinelli (1994, pp. 402-405), pro 5.7.7; Pind. 01. 3.11-18). Herakles thus has many claims Olympia. vides further bibliography. Both each ca. 26 m wide and 3.3 m at center, pre pediments, high 7. This arrangement is unusual, sented a of seen at level in at dazzling spectacle sculpted figures, today eye found again only the late-fifth west is of at Bassai.