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Heracles & Antaios - Ancient Oil Wresting

Herakles & Antaios

Relief at Sebasteion: Ancient Aphrodisias School of Sculpture...

Heracles is preparing to wrestle the Libyan giant Antaios. Herakles (left) is taking off his bow-case to hang it on a rustic pillar-statue. Antaios (right) is binding up his head with ear-protectors; next to him stands an oil basin as used in the wresting ground, palaistra. Antaios was a famous wrestler and challenged and killed all visitors to his country, until defeated by Herakles. - Museum of Aphrodisias, Turkey.


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