small bronze shield with the owl of Athens

The ancient aspis or hoplon was the lynchpin of the Classical Greek land-based hoplite phalanx of tighly-packed interlocking ranks of infantry. Each hoplite soldier would hold his massive shield in front of him - 1m or so in diameter, made of wood and covered with bronze - to protect not only himself, but the chap next to him as well. This extraordinary powerful military formation was considered a symbol of cohesion and tactical discipline that defined ancient Greek warfare.

Towards the end of the 6th C BCE, the new hoplite phenomenon resulted in a class of Athenian citizens who were not only a formidable military force, but who realised that they also held considerable political leverage. The resulting upheaval led to the evolution of Athenian Democracy in the last decade of that century. 10 years later, at the Battle of Marathon, it was these hoplites who put the new shield-wall phalanx into practice, to defeat the Persian army.

At Marathon in 490BC, however, you have seen no uniform design on the shields, as there was no standardisation or 'state identity' as yet. Instead, the battlefield was awash with a colourful chaos of shields, variously painted with family crests, mythical beasts, and loud geometric patterns!

Medusa was one of the most popular choices. Her hideous, glaring face with snaky locks was intended to 'freeze' and 'petrify' opponents with terror! Pegasus appeared on shields from Corinth, and the club of Herakles on shields from Thebes. Lower budget options included geometric motifs such as the Greek key meandros.

The Spartan LAMBDA (Λ), the most famous shield emblem in ancient history, is an interesting one. Leonidas - with the 300 - is often represented as carrying the hoplon emblazoned with the (painted) LAMBDA, but the massive wall of uniform LAMBDA shields didn't even exist in 480BCE at the Battle of Thermopylae! It was introduced during the Peloponnesian War (431-404BCE) between Sparta and Athens, when the Spartan government replaced the hitherto 'individual' choice of artwork in favour of a single letter representing the State.

The owl of Athena was used by the Athenians, especially towards the end of the 5thC BCE during the bitter conflict with Sparta.

The bronze pieces are cast in Greece using the traditional lost wax method. As nothing is mass-produced, there will inevitably be slight variations in texture, patina, and colour. No two pieces are ever the same. If mounted on a marble base, it will be a black or very dark grey base. There may be a variation of some millimetres in the dimensions of the base from time to time.

It's All Greek is so grateful and so proud to have been working closely with the Semitekolo family foundry since 1999. It has been a privilege and a joy to handle, live with, and photograph these gorgeous pieces and to pass them on to customers all over the world.

Symbol of Athena, who was the goddess of wisdom, intelligence and resourcefulness. She was also the patron deity of Athens, the city to which she gave her name and the gift of the olive.

The owl was frequently depicted in the art and coinage of the city, especially from the 6th century BCE onwards.

The Greek key, meandros or meander motif appears throughout ancient Greek art, from the Geometric period onwards. A symbol of eternity and of the eternal flow of things, it is also thought to represent the maze, and the eternal quest for truth.

In its most basic form, it is a linear pattern, composed of a long, continuous line, like the winding course of the river Maeander in Asia Minor. Some say that the twisting pattern mimics the serpent, symbol of guardianship and healing.