Parthenon FriezeNorth XVII, 54-55

myminifactory

Next to the charioteer stands the apobates, a hoplite-athlete clad in chiton and shield, holding tight to the chariot-rail as he prepares for takeoff. The adjacent block, N XVIII, was torn out in medieval times to make room for a church window built inside the Parthenon. Half of the North frieze resides in the British Museum, while the other half is housed at the Acropolis museum, spanning an impressive 58.70 meters in length. Starting from the northwest corner of the opisthonaos, the procession continues seamlessly from block N XLVII to N I, gradually escalating from tranquil preparation to a full gallop. Overlapping horses and riders flow continuously, interrupted only by the marshal on block XXXIV. Despite uniformity, variety is achieved through diverse garments, stances, and gestures of the most exquisite horsemen, punctuated by occasional glances backward. The Parthenon frieze forms an unbroken band around the upper cella, featuring low-relief scenes within the outer colonnade. The procession theme depicts a ceremony held in honor of Athena's birthday during the Great Panathenaia celebrations. Numbering courtesy of I. Jenkins' 1994 publication, "The Parthenon Frieze," with frieze slabs marked in Roman numerals and people numbered in Arabic.