Ancient trophy monuments – origins, evolution and signification in the Greek world

Abstract

Weapons and military equipment played a significant role in the life of ancient Greeks, not only as instruments needed in gaining victory on the battlefield, but as elements acquiring religious meanings in war contexts and being used in sacred ceremonies. Ancient Greek historians wrote about marvellous weapons dedicated in sanctuaries, and they mentioned trophy monuments erected on the battlefield, whose role was to delight the war Gods who helped the victorious army to defeat their enemies. The research of ancient trophy monuments needs to go back in time for the most important sources (archaeological proofs and literary evidences) regarding the first trophies from history. This paper is an attempt to reiterate the issues of the trophies, including their resemblance with the human body.