4th ARCHAEOLOGICAL MEETING OF THESSALY AND CENTRAL GREECE, 2009-2011
FROM PREHISTORY TO THE CONTEMPORARY PERIOD

Paper abstract

Sprawski Slawomir
Ass. Prf. Anc. History, Jagiellonian Univ. Krakow
Who is represented on the Theotimos's stele? Remarks on the Thessalian foot warriors

This paper discusses the representation of a warrior on a grave stele from the collection of the Archaeological Museum of Larissa. The inscription indicates that it was a monument of Theotimos son of Menyllos of Atrax, who fell at the battle of Tanagra in 457 BC. Although, our literary sources report the participation of the Thessalian cavalry in this battle and the predominance of this formation in the Thessalian warfare the bas-relief from the Theotimos' stele shows a foot soldier. His two javelins and a shield without a rim make him similar more to a peltast than to a hoplite. These observations provoke questions on the role of the light-armed foot soldiers in the organization of the Thessalian armies in the classical period.

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