Statuette of Athena Promachos in the Getty Villa, July 2008

Statuette of Athena Promachos
Unknown
Roman, about 50 B.C. - A.D. 25
Bronze
8 1/8 in.
96.AB.176

Athena Promachos forcefully strides forward on this Roman bronze statuette. The word Promachos means "the first in battle." She once brandished a spear and shield, and her protective aegis, bearing the head of the gorgon Medusa, covers her chest and back. A griffin, a mythological creature known for its vigilance, crouches atop her helmet. The silver that embellishes Athena's eyes, the gorgon's head, and the ornament on her helmet is still preserved, but the twenty silver snakes that originally decorated the edge of her aegis are missing.

This image of the goddess was intentionally created in an archaistic or old-fashioned style. It depicts a statue type known in many versions, which was probably created in the first century B.C., but which has stylistic traits popular in the 500s B.C. The Romans admired Greek sculpture and often created works that resembled the earlier styles of the Greeks. Furthermore, older images of deities, or at least images that looked older, were considered more venerable.

Text from: www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artObjectDetails?artobj=35643