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  Magna Graecia: Greek Art From South Italy and Sicily > About the Exhibition > Paestum > Herakles and Alkyoneus Metope (about 560-550 BC)
 
 
Herakles and Alkyoneus Metope (about 560-550 BC)
Paestum, Heraion of Foce del Sele
Sandstone
Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Paestum, inv. 133155
[Cat. no. 2]

Herakles and Alkyoneus Metope (about 560-550 BC)

From one of the earliest known Greek temple structures in Italy, this massive example of architectural sculpture originally decorated the frieze of a temple or treasury in the sanctuary of Hera, goddess of the earth and fertility.

The image shows Herakles dressed in a short-skirted garment (chitoniskos) with a quiver suspended from his shoulders. The son of Zeus holds Alkyoneus by his hair, pinning the oldest and mightiest giant against the ground and thrusting a sword into his back.



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