Divinity or personifications? As the example of two headers of Athenian alliance treaties ; Divinités ou personnifications ? L'exemple de deux en-têtes de traités d'alliance athéniens

Abstract

Our understanding of antique imaging is not immediate, the identification of some depicted scenes or figures is sometimes problematic, especially in the absence of unambiguous iconographic or textual codes. We will take as examples two headers of Athenian alliance treaties from the first half of the 4th century before our era between Athens and Corcyre on the one hand and Athens and four Peloponnese cities and territories on the other. The composition of the scenes of these two bas-reliefs is indeed similar, yet the identification of two different figures differs: in one case, it would be Zeus and Hera, in the other, personifications of the city of Corcyre or the Peloponnese and the dèmos. With these two examples, we will illustrate the complexity of the relationship between this type of representation and the associated registration, by questioning the criteria for the representation and identification of figures of divinity or personifications. A closer study of the veil gestures adopted by the central female figure, whose identity is in question, thus allows a genuine ideological reading of these documents, on the side of what will be called a 'diplomatic marriage scene'. ; International audience Our understanding of ancient imagery is not immediate, so identifying certain scenes or figures is sometimes problematic, especially in the absence of unambiguous iconographic codes or inscriptions. This article focuses on the reliefs above two Athenian treaties from the first half of the 4th century B.C., one stipulates an alliance between Athens and Korkyra, and the other between Athens and four cities and territories in the Peloponnese. The composition of both bas-reliefs is similar, but the identification of two figures differs: on the one hand, they could be Zeus and Hera, on the other, a personification of the city of Korkyra or of the Peloponnese, and of the Demos. These two examples illustrate the complex relationships between this kind of iconography and the inscription by examining the criteria for ...