Soldier- Temple of Aphaia

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Athena stands proudly at the center of the pediment, her majestic presence commanding attention. On either side, a fierce battle rages, with warriors clashing in a display of strength and valor. The archers, one clad in exotic attire and the other donning traditional Greek armor, add to the drama of the scene. This pediment appears to depict the legendary Trojan War, as vividly described by Homer in his epic poems. The principal heroes of this second generation of Aeginetan warriors are likely to be represented here, alongside their fellow Greeks who fought bravely at Troy. The key evidence for this identification lies with the Oriental archer, whose unique appearance and attire suggest a connection to the distant lands of the East. Furthermore, the overall similarity to the East Pediment provides strong support for this theory. Athena's presence in this pediment is notable for its subtlety. Unlike her more assertive role in the East Pediment, she stands quietly aloof, observing the battle with a calm and detached air. Her stillness does not divide the pediment, as it did in the east, allowing the viewer to focus on the action unfolding around her. The designer has treated the field of this West Pediment differently, creating a more balanced composition that distributes the two forces evenly throughout. The inclusion of twelve additional warriors allows for a traditional compositional scheme of paired opponents fighting one-on-one, resulting in three pairs on each side of Athena. This format is reminiscent of earlier Greek art and suggests that the designer was adhering to established conventions. The two pairs of warriors closest to Athena are likely to represent the victorious heroes of the battle. On the Aeginetan side, this would be Ajax, a hero known for his bravery and strength. Figure W2, on the right of Athena, remains unidentified due to a lack of distinguishing characteristics. However, Ohly assigns a shield to W9, who is situated on the left of Athena. This shield bears an eagle with a snake, a symbol associated with Ajax according to Pindar's descriptions. The opposing warrior, W10, wears a shield featuring the forepart of a boar, but insufficient information exists to connect this image to a specific hero. If W9 and W10 represent Ajax and his Trojan opponent, respectively, then W2 and W3 would likely depict a Trojan and Greek warrior, although no specific identifications are made. On either side of the champion pairs are the archers. W11, on the left, wears an Eastern-style dress and cuirass, suggesting that he represents Paris, the legendary lover of Helen. His counterpart, W4, is identified as Teucer, Ajax's brother and a renowned archer in the later Trojan campaign. The short chiton and cuirass worn by W4 reinforce his Greek lineage. The archers' opponents, both victims of arrows, lie in the corners. The dying warrior, W14, in the left corner is Greek, while the figure with an arrow in his chest, W7, is Trojan. These warriors frame a last pair of Greek and Trojan opponents, creating an even match on the battlefield. The West Pediment (West Pediment 2) was preceded by an earlier group (West Pediment 1), which may not have reached completion due to the absence of extra blocks or acroterions. The style and date of these two west pediment groups are closer than those in the east, suggesting that West Pediment 1 may have been under construction when a decision was made to replace it with a new sculpture. Fragments of West Pediment 1 indicate a battle theme, which has been tentatively identified as an Amazonomachy. This would parallel the nearby Late Archaic temple in Aegina, highlighting the significance of this earlier group. A new publication by Martha Ohly Dunn is pending, which will provide a more comprehensive understanding of both the earlier groups and West Pediment 2.