Organized by the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, with loans from museums in the United States and Europe, this exhibition of approximately 100 objects defines various types of ancient Greek heroes between the sixth and first centuries BCE.

 


Take a quiz to find out what Greek hero you are most like.




What makes someone a hero or heroine? There is no easy answer to this question, neither today nor in ancient Greece. The media and society are quick to attach the label of hero or heroine to a variety of individuals—a soldier at war, a fireman at the World Trade Towers in New York City on September 11, 2001, a successful athlete, or an average person who acts selflessly or displays remarkable compassion. Our English word “hero” is derived from the Greek word heros, which linguistically and culturally represents the earliest concept of heroes in human history.

The exploits of ancient Greek heroes were recorded on all types of artworks—from large-scale architectural sculpture, to beautifully decorated pottery, to miniature gemstones and coins. This exhibition focuses on works from the Archaic (6th century BCE) and Classical (5th–4th century BCE) periods, with additional examples from the Hellenistic period (3rd–1st century BCE). The installation is divided into three thematic sections: Heroes in Myth, Heroes in Cult, and Emulation.

Heroes in Myth presents the life cycle of four heroes: Herakles, Helen, Odysseus, and Achilles—examples of the numerous heroes and heroines whose lives and deeds are recorded in Greek epic poetry and illustrated in Greek art. Heroes in Cult examines the worship of heroes as practiced in communities throughout ancient Greece. The last section, Emulation, considers heroes and heroines as role models for the ancient Greeks, in particular for women, athletes, warriors, and rulers.


Listen to the audio tour for this exhibition:

Or click here to download the audio tour.

Download the Heroes gallery guide.

Download a list of programs related to the Heroes exhibition.

Suggested Reading List for Heroes exhibition (including recommendations for adults, teachers, children, and web materials)


For more information about this exhibition,  visit the Walters Art Museum Web site.


Design Sponsor:


Heroes: Mortals and Myths in Ancient Greece has been organized by the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, in cooperation with the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville, the San Diego Museum of Art, and the Onassis Foundation (USA), New York.

The planning and implementation of this exhibition have been generously supported by grants from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. The exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.

The Frist Center for the Visual Arts is supported in part by the Metro Nashville Arts Commission and the Tennessee Arts Commission.

Special thanks to Ocean Way Nashville Recording Studios and Belmont University for their donation of recording time and professional expertise in the production of the exhibition audio tour.



Image: Aged Herakles, first century BCE – first century CE. Bronze, H:16 15/16 x W: 9 3/8 x D:3 11/16. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore