Pausanias

Paintings at Delphi

After we finish reading the Iliad, we might wonder what happens in Troy after Hector’s funeral. We have parts of what happens next in the Odyssey, in tragedies, and in fragments and plot-summaries. However, in his Description of Greece Pausanias writes an interesting description of a painting in Delphi which depicted “Troy taken and the Greeks sailing away," Read more

Founders of democracy unsung | Part 2: Re-establishment of democracy by Thrasybulus

Thrasybulus played an instrumental part as a general in Athens’ victories in the “Ionian War” in 411–407 BCE and the (temporary) return of Alcibiades to Athens. But in 404 BCE, the Spartan general Lysander imposed an oligarchic government on Athens, known as the government of “The Thirty Tyrants” and Thrasybulus was among the many Athenian democrats who fled their tyranny. In 403 he began to organize a rebellion against them. Read more

Aiakos: Judge Among the Immortals?

Whether Aiakos actually settled disputes among the gods themselves is supported by Pindar when referring to the nymph Aegina who “...bore Aeacus [Aiakos], the dearest of all men on earth to the loud-thundering father. Aeacus [Aiakos] settled disputes even for the gods.” Read more