Heracles Archer- Temple of Aphaia

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Athena stands at the center of the pediment, a battle raging on either side of her. The warriors, except for the archers, are armed but nude, their bodies exposed in stark contrast to the chaos around them. One archer wears an Oriental-style dress, while the other dons a traditional short chiton under a cuirass. This scene appears to depict the later Trojan War, as described by Homer, with Athena watching over the battle from her perch on the pediment. The principal basis for identifying this scene is the presence of the Oriental archer and the similarity to the East Pediment. Athena's role in this scene is unique, as she stands quietly aloof, observing the battle without intervening. She makes no gestures or signals towards the warriors, instead watching from a different plane. The designer has treated the field of the West Pediment differently than the East Pediment, with the two forces distributed evenly throughout the pediment. This creates a sense of balance and equality between the Greek and Trojan sides. The two additional warriors on either side of Athena add to the traditional compositional scheme, creating three pairs of opponents fighting one-on-one. The warrior closest to Athena is likely Ajax, while his opponent W9 has been assigned a shield with an eagle and snake design by Dieter Ohly. This device is significant, as it matches Pindar's description of the eagle as the sign sent to announce the birth of Ajax. The shields of the other warriors have also survived with paint intact, but their devices are not yet connected to specific heroes. The archers on either side of the champion warrior pairs wear distinct clothing and roles that suggest they represent Paris and Teucer, respectively. Their opponents, victims of arrows, lie in the corners, framing a final pair of Greek and Trojan opponents. In both cases, the warrior nearest the center is the victor, creating an even match on the battlefield. The West Pediment was preceded by a slightly earlier pedimental group (West Pediment 1), which may not have reached completion due to the lack of extra geison blocks or acroterion. Fragments indicate a battle theme, with some suggesting that the subject was an Amazonomachy, paralleling the nearby Late Archaic temple in Aegina.