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| Titles |
Fresco with Boxers: |
| Name |
Karin S. Tate |
| Type of Resource |
still image |
| Genre |
Fresco |
| Abstract |
This fresco is located on the north wall of the tomb. The scene depicts two boxers fighting to the accompaniment of a double flute. From left to right: the flute player dressed in a long white tunic with red border, and red decoration on chest and short sleeve; he wears a short black boot and is white skinned with black hair and a neat black beard. The flute players cheeks are bound by a strap called a phorbeia. In the center is a nude dark brown skinned boxer with black hair and a beard and bloodied face attacks his opponent with his upraised left hand. At the right, a red skinned boxer with exaggerated facial features- a very large bulbous nose, large ears and eyes, parries the blow with his left arm. His exaggerated features have led scholars to believe that he is wearing a mask, and that there was a close connection between funerary games and theatre. The Roman historian Livy mentions that Atellan farce was of Campanian origin (Livy, ab urbe condita 7.2). Both bocers have their hands bound in a kind of leather strap to form in effect boxing gloves. |
| Form |
nonprojected graphic |
| Note |
The depictions of various combat sports and chariot racing are connected with aristocratic funerary ritual in 4th century BCE Lucanian society. Images of funeral games were painted on the two long sides of the tomb, and occurred in tombs of both deceased males and females. They are comparable to the tomb paintings of Etruria in subject matter but the Etrurian examples cease at the end of the 5th century BCE. |
| Access Condition |
Attributed to Karin S. Tate under the license CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 |
| Access Condition |
CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 |
| Subject Local Name |
--Lucanian--Boxer--Pyx--Male--Music--Equipment--Fresco--Funerary--Nudity------4th c. BCE |
| Note |
Potrandolfo, A., A Rouveret, M. Cipriani. The Painted Tombs of Paestum. 2nd ed. Paestum: Pandemos, 2004.
Ville, G. La Gladiature en Occident des origines à la mort de Domitien. Rome: École française de Rome, 1981. |