Weapon reliefs from Patara: commemoration of the Battle of Actium and representational evidence for swords and scabbards from the Republic-to-Principate transition period
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3986/AV.77.03Keywords:
weapon reliefs, victory commemoration, Battle of Actium, sheathed sword, Patara, River LjubljanicaAbstract
The paper analyses two reused stone blocks with weapon reliefs now built in the Roman theatre at Patara (SW Turkey) and argues that they had been previously part of a monument or building commemorating Octavian’s victory at Actium (31 BC). The reliefs offer new insights into the commemoration of this battle. In addition to the usual elements of the Early Augustan visual language, they feature an interesting and formerly unrecorded motif, namely a depiction of a sphinx alluding to the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra.
The discussed weapon reliefs are also important for studying Roman swords and scabbards during the Republic-to-Principate transition. The depicted sheathed swords closely resemble the unique sword in a scabbard from the River Ljubljanica (Slovenia), dated to 60–30/15 BC based on typo-chronology and the use of brass. The reliefs from Patara allow us to enhance the accuracy of this dating and depict details which do not survive in the archaeological find.
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