I · THE OBJECT · BRITISH MUSEUM
Euphorbos plate
▶ Listen · narrated
This plate depicts Menelaos with his foot on the body of Euphorbos. Yet who stands behind him? And why does he gaze at Hector?
At a glance
- Inventory number
- 1860.4-4.1
- Type
- Greek vase
- Genre
- Wild Goat Style
Look closer
The duel
Menelaos stands with one foot on the body of Euphorbos, a Trojan warrior. He holds his spear in one hand and his sword in the other.
Hector arrives
Behind Menelaus, Hector approaches, joining the fight for the body of Patroclus just after Menelaos has killed Euphorbos.
The mythological scene
It is one of the few examples to show a mythological scene. There are two warriors in a violent duel, and another warrior who is about to join.
The story
The plate shows Menelaos standing over the body of Euphorbos after killing him while fighting for the corpse of Patroclus. The scene comes from Iliad book 17, when Hector arrives at the fight for the body of Patroklos just after Menelaus has killed Euphorbos and prevents Menelaus from stripping the armour from the dead body.
This vase shows the moment that Menelaos stands over the body of Euphorbos after killing him in a duel. The fight happens as part of the larger battle for Patroclus' body. This is one of the most important moments of the Trojan War, and it is rare to see this depicted on pottery.
The plate depicts Menelaos with his foot on the body of Euphorbos, holding a spear in one hand and a sword in the other. Behind him, Hector approaches, joining the fight for the body of Patroclus just after Menelaus has killed Euphorbos.
Menelaos was the king of Sparta and husband of Helen. He was also the brother of Agamemnon, who was the leader of the Greek forces in the Trojan War. In this scene, Menelaos has just killed Euphorbos. Euphorbos was a Trojan warrior who had wounded Patroclus, the best friend of Achilles. Patroclus was wearing Achilles' armour when he was killed by Hector.
Hector is the eldest son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy. He is one of the main heroes of the Trojan War and is known for his bravery and leadership skills. In this scene, Hector joins the fight for the body of Patroclus just after Menelaus has killed Euphorbos.
The Euphorbos plate is a Rhodian plate with a diameter of 38 centimetres (1 ft 3 in). It belongs to the middle Wild Goat Style, and is one of the few examples that shows a mythological scene. The Wild Goat Style is characterised by its use of goats as a decorative motif. This style was popular in Rhodes during the seventh century BC.
The plate has no provenance information, meaning there are no records explaining how it came to be buried at Kameiros. It was found by Alfred Biliotti and Auguste Salzmann at Kameiros, a site in Rhodes, Greece. It is now in the British Museum, where it was acquired from Biliotti in 1863 for £10.
Why it mattered then
The Euphorbos plate offers a snapshot of how ancient Greeks understood their past: as a cycle of violence and mourning, driven by the actions of heroes whose fates were determined by gods. This is a rare depiction in Wild Goat Style, which was often used to depict animals. The mythological scene is therefore an exception.
Why it matters now
It helps scholars understand the ancient Greek perception of their own history as a cycle of violence and mourning, driven by the actions of heroes. This is especially interesting because the style is rarely used for such depictions. Its rarity also makes it valuable to art historians who study Wild Goat Style.
The surprising detail
The plate was found by Alfred Biliotti and Auguste Salzmann at Kameiros in 1860. Biliotti bought it for £10 from a local farmer who had found it. In 1863, Biliotti sold the plate to the British Museum. The Wild Goat style is usually used to depict animals, making this a rare example of a mythological scene.
How it got here
Biliotti bought it for £10 from a local farmer who had found it. In 1863, Biliotti sold the plate to the British Museum
Remember this
It is a rare depiction in Wild Goat Style which was often used to depict animals. The mythological scene is therefore an exception.
Test yourself
How does the Euphorbos plate illustrate the ancient Greek understanding of their past?
The plate illustrates this by depicting a violent duel between Menelaos and Hector, showing how violence and mourning are part of their history. This is also illustrated through the actions of heroes whose fates were determined by gods.
Go deeper
Image: Public domain. Licence: Public domain. Source.