Journal of Roman Archaeology· 2026Q1
Discourse and display: the Pasquino Group and the Achilles and Penthesilea sculptures at the Villa of Herodes Atticus, Loukou
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- 2026year
Short summary
Two colossal Roman copies of Hellenistic sculptures, the 'Pasquino Group' (likely Achilles and Menelaus) and the Penthesilea group, were the centerpiece of the decorative program at Herodes Atticus's Villa at Loukou, fostering elite discourse on conflict and loss.
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Key points
- The Villa of Herodes Atticus at Loukou featured a unique display of two colossal Roman copies of Hellenistic sculptures: the Pasquino Group and the Penthesilea group.
- These sculptures depicted mythological figures in interlocking arrangements (symplegma).
- The choice and arrangement of these sculptures were dictated by the patron, Herodes Atticus, a prominent sophist and politician.
- The display was intended to foster elite discourse among visitors, centering on themes of conflict and loss.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Abstract This article contextualizes the unique display of two colossal Roman copies of Hellenistic sculptures at the lavish villa of Herodes Atticus at Loukou, located in Arcadia (Peloponnese, Greece). The estate at Loukou is notable for its extensive decorative program, including elaborate mosaics and a large sculpture collection that juxtaposed bespoke copies of famous works with others that were already antiquities at the time of their display in the 2nd c. CE. Both sculptural compositions discussed here belong to the former category and depict two mythological figures in interlocking arrangements ( symplegma ). The choice of these two sculptures and their unique display at Loukou reflects the preferences of their patron: the sophist, politician, and cosmopolitan benefactor Herodes Atticus. This paper argues that the two paired colossal groups formed the crux of Herodes’s custom decorative program at Loukou, where he fostered elite discourse around themes of conflict and loss.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Journal of Roman Archaeology, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Anthropology
AnthropologySocial Sciences