Pyrrhus of Epirus Illustration

[Johnny Shumate]

I did this illustration for Dimitris Patsoules(editor) of Hellenic Defense Magazine. Our on Stefanos wrote the article..!! Stefanos sent me the reference material on Pyrrhus. They basically wanted a redo of the Alexander illustration I did awhile back. Hope you folks like it...
Johnny
http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/j ... ginal.aspx

[Giannis K. Hoplite]

Hey Johny! I was wondering where were you all that time. haven't seen you in this section for a while!
Excellent again. Another Laude from me. Yep i can see Alex underneath it I suppose there is some reference to the horns he has on his helm? A coin probably? There are no such horns in his bust I think?
The cuirass is partly based on the one now in Cyprus? (Is it not in Cyprus? :? )
Khaire
Giannis

[Paullus Scipio]

Giannis wrote:-

I suppose there is some reference to the horns he has on his helm? A coin probably? There are no such horns in his bust I think?

The main reference is Plutarch's life of Pyrrhus(11) ....Pyrrhus has taken off his helmet to rally some of his men, who do not recognise him, so he puts it back on "..and was instantly recognised by it's high crest and the goat's horns which he wore at the sides"... Alexander wears goat/ram horns in exactly this style on a diadem on a coin, and Seleucus I is portrayed on a coin wearing an Attic helmet decorated with very similar 'swept back' horns.....

[hoplite14gr]

Thanks Paul,
The refs are Plutarch Pyrros 11. For the iron armor I used Plutarch Demetrios 21 and I asked Johhny to base it on Corfu armor.

The goat horns were probaly handed to the king after the ceremony in Dodona where a goat was sacrifised and the king promised to uphold the law and the Prostatae (Epirotic equivalent of the Efors) obliges to ensure the loyalty of the people.


Kind regards

[Strategos]

That looks very nice!
Glad to see an ancient picture after all these WWII drawings you have made in the last time!
Very good!

Kind regards
Strategos

[Giannis K. Hoplite]

Thanks for the info. Yep,it was Corfu then,not Cyprus :roll:
I recognized the gold fittings on it.
Khairete
Giannis

[Marcvs75]

Hello Johnny,

Very nice drawing. Also the latest one of the Battle of Sybota" is superb !!

So please keep them images coming, especially of the ancient Greeks

[Strategos]

By Athena!
The Battle of Sybota is magnificent too!!!!!
Great work!
Kind regards
Strategos

[Giannis K. Hoplite]

Battle of Sybota? Any link to this please?
Is there any chance that the horns were guilded?
Khairete
Giannis

[Kallimachos]

Outstanding work, as always Johnny. Can't wait to get this issue of the magazine.

[hoplite14gr]

Sybota is in Johhny´s portfolio Gianni, the link is on his signature..
Kind regards

[Na Saighdiuir]

hock: hock: Nicely done i especially like that leopard(??)skin ,looks very classy!

[Paralus]

I note you've disabled comments on your portfolio Johnny - too many backsides??

Pity, I quite like your Battle of Sybota. A difficult thing to capture but you've gone very close (Thuc.1.49):

The fighting was of a somewhat old-fashioned kind, since they were still behindhand in naval maters, both sides having numbers of hoplites aboard their ships, together with archers and javelin throwers. But the fighting was hard enough in spite of the lack of skill shown: indeed it was more like a battle on land than a naval engagement. When the ships came into collision it was difficult for them to break away clear, because of the number engaged and of their close formation. In fact both sides relied more for victory on their hoplites, who were on the decks and who fought a regular pitched battle there while the ships remained motionless.

Thucydides implies that only the Athenian ships employed ramming tactics or anything other than "hoplite" fighting. Greek naval warfare had not progressed one iota from the Persian wars - outside of Athens that is. Something Phormio would so devastatingly demonstrate some six or so years later.

[hoplite14gr]

I don´t think Corinthians were unskilled plus Thukidides is an Atheninan!
If you have your decks full of combatants and you fight in a narrow place, why bother with elaborate tactics? You just let your marines clear the enemy decks and you acquire less damaged ships, spoils and slaves.
You investment is partly returned.
And if you were an Atheninan positioned at an advantageous flank and not in the center of engagement you would like to risk a fight with an enemy ship that had bigger fighter complement than yours.

Kind regards

[Ceasar Augustus]

I certaintly like the picture.