lanx. Even the least-warlike, archer god is tied to war, and he is not unpopular for his choice of weaponry, as actual soldiers were.
Heracles, the most famous Greek hero, was a legendary archer, and many of his stories and depictions reflect that fact. Usually, he is considered the personification of strength. Hercules is seen in Geometric art, Orientalizing art, and onwards. The first literary mention of Heracles is in Homer’s Iliad, where he is a renowned archer. In the early sixth century BCE, Heracles became associated with a club, on top of the already existing archery and Nemean lion skin imagery. Athenian art tends to depict Herakles with all his associated imagery, including a bow and arrow in his left hand and a club in his right …show more content…
The Odyssey is one Greece most prevalent works, and it was based on an even older oral tradition, all of which feature the hero as a talented archer. In the Odyssey, Penelope, Odysseus’ wife, designs an archery contest for her hand and Ithaca’s throne, after all these years of Odysseus’ absence. The challenge is to make a shot through twelve holes in the handles of axes, as Odysseus once could. None of the suitors can draw Odysseus’ bow, but Odysseus in disguise does it easily, before using it to slay many suiters (Od.21.75-409). The bow contest is vital in Odysseus reclaiming Ithaca, but it is of a tradition far older than the phalanx. Even in Homeric warfare, heroism was strongly linked to fighting with a spear in the front lines. Accordingly, some have suggested that an Egyptian king’s athletic prowess inspired the archery contest in the Odyssey. Amenophis II (reign ca 1427-1401 BCE) was an excellent athlete, especially in archery. The eighteenth dynasty itself had a noteworthy sports tradition, which Amenophis II’s father began. Amenophis II’s tomb makes several references to his long relationship with archery; for instance, there is a relief of the god Min instructing him in archery as a boy, and the remaining inscription has instructions to drawing the composite bow to your ears and making your arms strong (Decker 1992, 36-37). The Sphinx Stela details one of Amenophis …show more content…
He came and said, “May each do as I have commissioned him to.” He strode upon the northern archery ground and found prepared for him four targets of Asian copper, a hand’s breadth thick. Twenty ells (approximately 10 meters) was the distance from one post to the next. His Majesty appeared in his chariot like the god Month in his strength. He seized the bow and grasped four arrows at once. He drove off and shot like Month in his battle dress, and his arrows penetrated the targets. Then he attacked the next post. This was a deed never done before whose report none had ever heard: one arrow was shot at an ingot of copper, and it transfixed the plate and fell to the ground on the other side. (Decker 1992,
Heracles, the most famous Greek hero, was a legendary archer, and many of his stories and depictions reflect that fact. Usually, he is considered the personification of strength. Hercules is seen in Geometric art, Orientalizing art, and onwards. The first literary mention of Heracles is in Homer’s Iliad, where he is a renowned archer. In the early sixth century BCE, Heracles became associated with a club, on top of the already existing archery and Nemean lion skin imagery. Athenian art tends to depict Herakles with all his associated imagery, including a bow and arrow in his left hand and a club in his right …show more content…
The Odyssey is one Greece most prevalent works, and it was based on an even older oral tradition, all of which feature the hero as a talented archer. In the Odyssey, Penelope, Odysseus’ wife, designs an archery contest for her hand and Ithaca’s throne, after all these years of Odysseus’ absence. The challenge is to make a shot through twelve holes in the handles of axes, as Odysseus once could. None of the suitors can draw Odysseus’ bow, but Odysseus in disguise does it easily, before using it to slay many suiters (Od.21.75-409). The bow contest is vital in Odysseus reclaiming Ithaca, but it is of a tradition far older than the phalanx. Even in Homeric warfare, heroism was strongly linked to fighting with a spear in the front lines. Accordingly, some have suggested that an Egyptian king’s athletic prowess inspired the archery contest in the Odyssey. Amenophis II (reign ca 1427-1401 BCE) was an excellent athlete, especially in archery. The eighteenth dynasty itself had a noteworthy sports tradition, which Amenophis II’s father began. Amenophis II’s tomb makes several references to his long relationship with archery; for instance, there is a relief of the god Min instructing him in archery as a boy, and the remaining inscription has instructions to drawing the composite bow to your ears and making your arms strong (Decker 1992, 36-37). The Sphinx Stela details one of Amenophis …show more content…
He came and said, “May each do as I have commissioned him to.” He strode upon the northern archery ground and found prepared for him four targets of Asian copper, a hand’s breadth thick. Twenty ells (approximately 10 meters) was the distance from one post to the next. His Majesty appeared in his chariot like the god Month in his strength. He seized the bow and grasped four arrows at once. He drove off and shot like Month in his battle dress, and his arrows penetrated the targets. Then he attacked the next post. This was a deed never done before whose report none had ever heard: one arrow was shot at an ingot of copper, and it transfixed the plate and fell to the ground on the other side. (Decker 1992,