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Charioteer of Delphi
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==Background== {{further|Sculpture|Bronze sculpture}} The statue was erected at Delphi, Greece <ref name="HF">[[Hugh Honour|Honour, H.]] and J. Fleming, (2009) ''A World History of Art''. 7th edn. London: Laurence King Publishing, pp. 132-135. {{ISBN|9781856695848}}; Dafas, K. A., 2019. ''Greek Large-Scale Bronze Statuary: The Late Archaic and Classical Periods'', Institute of Classical Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London, Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies, Monograph, BICS Supplement 138 (London), pp. 24-35, pls 16-30.</ref> to commemorate one of two victories of the tyrant [[Polyzalus]] of Gela in Sicily and his [[chariot racing|chariot]] in the [[Pythian Games]] of either 478 or 474 BC, which were held at Delphi in honor of Pythean Apollo. It has also been suggested that the complex was instead built to commemorate the victory of Polyzalos' brother, Hieron, at the same games, in analogy to his [[ex voto]] after his victory at the [[ancient Olympic Games|Olympic Games]]. It was originally part of a larger group of statuary, including the chariot, at least four horses and possibly two grooms. Some fragments of the horses were found with the statue. The masterpiece has been associated with the sculptor [[Pythagoras (sculptor)|Pythagoras of Rhegion]], who lived and worked in Sicily, [[Magna Graecia]], as well as with the sculptor [[Calamis (5th century BC)|Calamis]]. The [[Sicily|Sicilian]] cities were very wealthy compared with most of mainland Greece, and their rulers could afford magnificent offerings to the gods, as well as the best horses and drivers. However, it is unlikely that the statue originates from Sicily. Though the name of the sculptor is unknown, it stylistically resembles statues cast in [[Athens]], such as the [[Piraeus Apollo]], which is known to be of Athenian origin. An inscription on the limestone base of the statue indicates that it was dedicated by Polyzalus,<ref name=HF/> the [[tyrant]] of [[Gela]], a Greek colony in [[Sicily]], as a tribute to Apollo for helping him to win the [[chariot racing|chariot race]]. The inscription, which is written in [[Dactylic hexameter|hexameter]], reads: [...Π]ολύζαλος μ'ἀνέθηκ[ε... τ]ὸν ἄεξ εὐόνυμ'Ἀπόλλ[ον], which is reconstructed to read "Polyzalus dedicated me. ... Make him prosper, honoured Apollo."<ref>{{Cite book|last=Arena|first=Renato|title=Iscrizioni Greche Arcaiche di Sicilia e Magna Grecia|publisher=Edizioni dell'Orso|year=1998|location=Alessandria|pages=124–5|language=italian}}</ref>
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