The glorious dead: Commemoration of the fallen and portrayal of victory in the late classical and hellenistic world

This brief consideration of war memorials and victory monuments is, of necessity, selective. I do not consider the tropaion, the victory monument set up on or near a battlefield immediately after the conflict (for a full survey see Pritchett 1974, 246 ff.), nor indeed the countless dedications of real arms and armour, nor offerings of many different forms paid for from the proceeds of battle spoils. My purpose is to consider a few permanent commemorative monuments of victory: public memorials set up in sanctuaries for their propaganda value, monumental tombs honouring the war dead,1 and some dedications celebrating naval victories. Some of these monuments are relatively little known, and ought to receive more attention; others are well known, but continue to pose problems and provoke controversy.