ABSTRACT
In the early years after Xerxes had been expelled from Greece, the citizens of Attica began to celebrate their victories over the Persians. Spoils from the battle-triremes, weapons, armour, harnesses and bridles, plentiful gold, a throne-were prominently displayed as material symbols of their ascendancy (Thompson 1956). In addition, however, an enormous programme of cultural production was undertaken. Vases, statues, wall-paintings, epigrams, lyric poetry, and even drama all celebrate the vanquishing of the barbarians and legitimize the war still being waged against them, by the Athenians’ newly created Delian league, for hegemony in the Aegean.
