ClipArt ETC

The Ancient Greece ClipArt gallery offers 362 illustration of Greek history, events, and scenes of everyday life. For related images, please see Greek Mythology, Greek Architecture, Greek Ornament, Greek Coins, Greek Vases, and the Ancient Greek Musical Instruments ClipArt galleries.

A prehistoric symbol found on the cover of an ancient vase at Troy.

The Swastika

A prehistoric symbol found on the cover of an ancient vase at Troy.

"Symposium, a drinking-party. The symposium must be distunguished from the deipnon, for though drinking almost always followed a dinner-party, yet the former was regarded as entirely distinct from the latter, was regulated by different customs, and frequently received the addition of many guests, who were not present at the dinner. For the Greeks did not usually drink at their dinner, and it was not till the conclusion of the meal that wine was introduced." &mdash Smith; 1873

Symposium

"Symposium, a drinking-party. The symposium must be distunguished from the deipnon, for though drinking…

"Syrinx, the Pan's pipe, or Pandean pipe, was the appropriate musical instrument of the Arcadian and other Grecian shepherds, and was regarded by them as the invention of Pan, their tutelary god. When the Roman poets had occasion to mention it, they called it fistula. It was formed in general of seven hollow stems of cane or reed, fitted together by means of wax, having been previously cut to the proper lengths, and adjusted so as to form an octave; but sometimes nine were admitted, giving an equal number of notes." &mdash Smith; 1873

Syrinx

"Syrinx, the Pan's pipe, or Pandean pipe, was the appropriate musical instrument of the Arcadian and…

"Talus. The huckle-bones of sheep and goats were used to play with from the earliest times, principally by women and children, occasionally by old men. The following cut, taken from an ancient painting, represents a woman, who, having thrown the bones upwards into the air, has caught three of them on the back of her hand. When the sides of the bone were marked with different values, the game became one of chance. The two ends were left blank, because the bone could not rest upon either of them on account of its curvature. The four remaining sides were marked with numbers 1, 3, 4, 5; 1 and 6 being on two opposite sides, and 3 and 4 on the other two opposite sides. Two persons played together at this game, using four bones, which they threw up into the air, or emptied out of a dice-box, and observing the numbers on the uppermost sides. " &mdash Smith; 1873

Talus

"Talus. The huckle-bones of sheep and goats were used to play with from the earliest times, principally…

"This was a small round shield, made of the hide ofa quadruped." — Anthon, 1891

Targe

"This was a small round shield, made of the hide ofa quadruped." — Anthon, 1891

The Temple of Minerva in Athens.

Temple

The Temple of Minerva in Athens.

"West Front of Temple at Aegina" — Morey, 1903

Temple Aegina

"West Front of Temple at Aegina" — Morey, 1903

Temple at Assus, Greece.

Temple at Assus

Temple at Assus, Greece.

"The temple of Diana was the chief glory of the city. The style was Grecian. The length of the ground-plan was four-hundred and twenty-five feet and the breadth two-hundred and twenty feet. The structure was thus four times as large as the Pantheon at Athens. The statue of the goddess was one of the finest works of art ever produced. It was wrought of ivory and gold, and was a marvel of costliness and beauty. The temple was decorated with sculptures by Praxiteles and one of the masterpieces of Apelles. A representation of the temple was stamped on the coins and medals of the city."—Ridpath, 1885

Temple of Diana at Ephesus

"The temple of Diana was the chief glory of the city. The style was Grecian. The length of the ground-plan…

Temple of Jupiter at Olympia.

Temple of Jupiter

Temple of Jupiter at Olympia.

An ancient Greek temple devoted to the god Neptune.

Temple of Neptune

An ancient Greek temple devoted to the god Neptune.

One of the Panhellenic Games of Ancient Greece. They were held both the year before and the year after the Olympic Games.

The Isthmian Games

One of the Panhellenic Games of Ancient Greece. They were held both the year before and the year after…

The Parthenon is a temple of the Greek Goddess Athena, who was considered as the protector of the city of Athens. The Temple was built in the 5th B.C. on Athenian Acropolis. The Parthenon is designed in a Doric Order style which consists of vertical columns that stand flat without a base, and a smooth capital.

The Parthenon

The Parthenon is a temple of the Greek Goddess Athena, who was considered as the protector of the city…

The theater of Athens where Greek drama was born.

Theater of Athens

The theater of Athens where Greek drama was born.

An illustration of the theater of Dionysus at Athens.

Theater of Dionysus

An illustration of the theater of Dionysus at Athens.

"The fame of Theocritus, the prince of bucolic poetry, depends on his faithful pictures of natural scenery and the common Sicilian people. He is generally considered the only poet of the Alexandrean epoch whose works can rank with the brilliant Grecian songs of earlier days." — The Delphian Society, 1913

Theocritus

"The fame of Theocritus, the prince of bucolic poetry, depends on his faithful pictures of natural scenery…

Battle of Thermopylae

Battle of Thermopylae

Battle of Thermopylae

Also known as the Temple of Hephaestus. An ancient Athenian temple built about 440 B.C.

Theseum

Also known as the Temple of Hephaestus. An ancient Athenian temple built about 440 B.C.

"The Temple of Theseus at Athens." —D'Anvers, 1895

Temple of Theseus

"The Temple of Theseus at Athens." —D'Anvers, 1895

"Thrones, a throne, is a Greek word, for which the proper Latin term is Solium. This did not differ from a chair except in being higher, larger, and in all respects more magnificent. On account of its elevation it was always necessarily accompanied by a footstool. The accompanying cut shows two gilded thrones with cushions and drapery, intended to be the thrones of Mars and Venus, which is expressed by the helmet on the one and the dove on the other." &mdash Smith; 1873

Thrones

"Thrones, a throne, is a Greek word, for which the proper Latin term is Solium. This did not differ…

"The following wood-cut from a fictile vase in the Museo Borbonico at Naples, represents Juno seated on a splendid throne, which is elevated on a basement. She holds in her left hand a sceptre, and in her right the apple, which Mercury is about to convey to Paris with a view to the celebrated contest for beauty on Mount Ida. Mercury is distinguished by his talaria, his caduceus, and his petasus thrown behind his back, and hanging b a string. On the right side of the throne is the representation of a tigress or panther." &mdash Smith; 1873

Thrones

"The following wood-cut from a fictile vase in the Museo Borbonico at Naples, represents Juno seated…

"Thyrsus, a pole carried by Bacchus, and by Satyrs, Maenades, and others who engaged in Bacchic festivities and rites. It was sometimes terminated by the apple of the pine, or fir-cone, that tree being dedicated to Bacchus in consequence of the use of the turpentine which flowed from it, and also of its cones, in making wine. The monuments of ancient art, however, most commonly exhibit, instead of the pine-apple, a bunch of vine or ivy leaves, with grapes or berries, arranged into the form of a cone. The annexed cut shows the head of a thyrsus composed of the leaves and berries of the ivy, and surrounded by acanthus leaves. The fabulous history of Bacchus relates that he converted the thyrsi carried by himself and his followers into dangerous weapons, by concealing an iron point in the head of the leaves." &mdash Smith; 1873

Thyrsus

"Thyrsus, a pole carried by Bacchus, and by Satyrs, Maenades, and others who engaged in Bacchic festivities…

"Shows the head of a thyrsus composed of the leaves and berries of the ivy, and surrounded by acanthus leaves. Very frequently, also, a while fillet was tied to the pole just below the head." — Anthon, 1891

Head of a thyrsus

"Shows the head of a thyrsus composed of the leaves and berries of the ivy, and surrounded by acanthus…

"Tiara or Tiaras, a hat with a large high crown. This was the head-dress which characterized the north-western Asiatics, and more especially the Armenians, Parthians, and Persians, as distinguished from the Greeks and Romans, whose hats fitted the head, or had only a low crown. The king of Persia wore an erect tiara, whilst those of his subjects were soft and flexible, falling on one side. The Persian name for this regal head-dress was cidaris. " &mdash Smith; 1873

Tiara

"Tiara or Tiaras, a hat with a large high crown. This was the head-dress which characterized the north-western…

"On ancient monuments, the torch appears to be formed of wooden staves or twigs, either bound by a rope drawn round them in a spiral form, or surrounded by circular bands at equal distances." — Anthon, 1891

Torches

"On ancient monuments, the torch appears to be formed of wooden staves or twigs, either bound by a rope…

"An ornament or kind of chain, of gold, twisted spiraly, and bent in a circular form, which was worn around the neck." — Anthon, 1891

Torques

"An ornament or kind of chain, of gold, twisted spiraly, and bent in a circular form, which was worn…

"Toques or torquis, an ornament of gold, twisted spirally and bent into a circular form, which was worn round the neck by men of distinction among the Persians, the Gauls, and other Asiatic and northern nations. It was by taking a collar from a Gallic warrior that T. Manlius obtained the cognomen of Torquatus. Torques, whether in the form of collars or bracelets, no doubt formed a considerable part of te wealth of those who wore them. Hence they were an important portion of the spoil, when any Celtic or Oriental army was conquered, and they were among the rewards of valour bestowed after an engagement upon those who had most distinguished themselves." &mdash Smith; 1873

Torques

"Toques or torquis, an ornament of gold, twisted spirally and bent into a circular form, which was worn…

The Tower of the Winds, also called horologion (timepiece), is an octagonal Pentelic marble clocktower on the Roman agora in Athens. The structure features a combination of sundials, a water clock and a wind vane. It was supposedly built by Andronicus of Cyrrhus around 50 BC, but according to other sources might have been constructed in the 2nd century BC before the rest of the forum.

Tower of the Winds

The Tower of the Winds, also called horologion (timepiece), is an octagonal Pentelic marble clocktower…

"They who are within this machine obtain first a view of the place from their high position, and then, by means of small bridges (<em>pontes</em>), descend upon the city walls." — Anthon, 1891

Mobile tower

"They who are within this machine obtain first a view of the place from their high position, and then,…

"Masks used in Tragedy" &mdash; Morey, 1903

Tragedy Mask

"Masks used in Tragedy" — Morey, 1903

"Tribulus, a caltrop, also called murex. When a place was beset with troops, the one party endeavoured to impede the cavalry of the other party, either by throwing before them caltrops, which necessarily lay with one of their four sharp points turned upward, or by burying the caltrop with one point at the surface of the ground. The following wood-cut is taken from a bronze caltrop figured by Cayius." &mdash Smith; 1873

Tribulus

"Tribulus, a caltrop, also called murex. When a place was beset with troops, the one party endeavoured…

"When tripods are said to be given in a present, or as prizes, vases or large bowls supported on three feet are said to be understood." &mdash; Anthon, 1891

Greek tripod

"When tripods are said to be given in a present, or as prizes, vases or large bowls supported on three…

"Tripos, a tripod, i.e. any utensil or article of furniture supported upon three feet. More especially, 1. A three-legged table. 2. A pot or caldron, used for boiling meat, and either raised upon a three-legged stand of bronze, or made with its three feet in the same piece. 3. A bronze altar, not differing probably in its original form from the tall tripod caldron already described. In this form, but with additional ornament, we see it in the left-hand figure in the annexed cut. The figure on the right hand represents the tripod from which the Pythian priestess at Delphi gave responses. The celebrity of this tripod produced innumerable imitations of it, which were made to be used in sacrifice, and still mere frequently to be presented to the treasury both in that place and in many other Greek temples." &mdash Smith; 1873

Tripos

"Tripos, a tripod, i.e. any utensil or article of furniture supported upon three feet. More especially,…

"Trochus, a hoop. The Greek boys used to exercise themselves, like ours, with trundling a hoop. It was a bronze ring, and had sometimes bells attached to it. It was impelled by means of a hook with a wooden handle called a clavis. From the Greeks this custom passed to the Romans, who consequently adopted the Greek term. The hoop was used at the Gymnasia, and, therefore, on one of the gems in the Stosch collection at Berlin, which is engraved in the annexed wood-cut, it is accompanied by the jar of oil and the bay branch, the emblems of effort and of victory. On each side of this we have represented another gem from the same collection. Both of these exhibit youths trundling the hoop by means of the hook or key. These show the size of the hoop, which in the middle figure has also three small rings or bells on its circumference." &mdash Smith; 1873

Trochus

"Trochus, a hoop. The Greek boys used to exercise themselves, like ours, with trundling a hoop. It was…

Wooden horse is taken into the city of Troy.

Trojan horse

Wooden horse is taken into the city of Troy.

"Tropaeum, a trophy, a sign and memorial of victory, which was erected on the field of battle where the enemy had turned to flight, and in case of a victory gained at sea, on the nearest land." &mdash Smith; 1873

Tropaeum

"Tropaeum, a trophy, a sign and memorial of victory, which was erected on the field of battle where…

Taking of Troy.

Troy

Taking of Troy.

"The great northeast tower of the sixth city. The stairs to the right date from the eighth city."&mdash;Webster, 1913

Excavations at Troy

"The great northeast tower of the sixth city. The stairs to the right date from the eighth city."—Webster,…

"Trua, Trulla, to perforate; a large and flat spoon or ladle, pierced with holes; a trowel. The following woodcut represents such a ladle." &mdash Smith; 1873

Trua

"Trua, Trulla, to perforate; a large and flat spoon or ladle, pierced with holes; a trowel. The following…

"Tunica, an under-garment. Greek. The chiton was the only kind of under-garment, worn by the Greeks. Of this there were two kinds, the Dorian and Ionian. The Dorian chiton, as worn by males, was a short woollen shirt, without sleeves; the Ionian was a long linen garment, with sleeves. The former seems to have been originally worn throughout the whole Greece; the latter was brought over to Greece by the Ionians of Asia. The Ionic chiton was commonly worn at Athens by men during the Persian wars, but it appears to have entirely gone out of fashion for the male sex about the time of Pericles, from which time the Dorian chiton was the under-garment universally adopted by men through the whole of Greece." &mdash; Smith; 1873

Tunica

"Tunica, an under-garment. Greek. The chiton was the only kind of under-garment, worn by the Greeks.…

"Tunica, an under-garment. Greek. The chiton was the only kind of under-garment, worn by the Greeks. Of this there were two kinds, the Dorian and Ionian. The Dorian chiton, as worn by males, was a short woollen shirt, without sleeves; the Ionian was a long linen garment, with sleeves. The former seems to have been originally worn throughout the whole Greece; the latter was brought over to Greece by the Ionians of Asia. The Ionic chiton was commonly worn at Athens by men during the Persian wars, but it appears to have entirely gone out of fashion for the male sex about the time of Pericles, from which time the Dorian chiton was the under-garment universally adopted by men through the whole of Greece." &mdash; Smith; 1873

Tunica

"Tunica, an under-garment. Greek. The chiton was the only kind of under-garment, worn by the Greeks.…

"Tunica, an under-garment. Greek. The chiton was the only kind of under-garment, worn by the Greeks. Of this there were two kinds, the Dorian and Ionian. The Dorian chiton, as worn by males, was a short woollen shirt, without sleeves; the Ionian was a long linen garment, with sleeves. The former seems to have been originally worn throughout the whole Greece; the latter was brought over to Greece by the Ionians of Asia. The Ionic chiton was commonly worn at Athens by men during the Persian wars, but it appears to have entirely gone out of fashion for the male sex about the time of Pericles, from which time the Dorian chiton was the under-garment universally adopted by men through the whole of Greece." &mdash; Smith; 1873

Tunica

"Tunica, an under-garment. Greek. The chiton was the only kind of under-garment, worn by the Greeks.…

"Turibulum, a censer. The Greeks and Romans, when they sacrificed, commonly took a little frankincense out of the acerra, and let it fall upon the flaming altar. More rarely they used a censer, by means of which they burned the incense in greater profusion, and which was in fact a small moveable grate or foculus. he following wood-cut, taken from an ancient painting, shows the performance of both of these acts at the same time." &mdash Smith; 1873

Turibulum

"Turibulum, a censer. The Greeks and Romans, when they sacrificed, commonly took a little frankincense…

"The Tyrannicides (Copies)" &mdash; Morey, 1903

Tyrannicides

"The Tyrannicides (Copies)" — Morey, 1903

"Umbraculum, Umbella, a parasol, was used by Greek and Roman ladies as a protection against the sun. They seem not to have been carried generally by the ladies themselves, but by female slaves who held them over their mistresses. The daughters of the aliens at Athens had to carry parasols after the Athenian maidens at the Panathenaea, as is mentioned under Hydriaphoria. The parasols of the ancients seem to have been exactly like our own parasols or umbrellas in form, and could be shut up and opened like ours." &mdash; Smith; 1873

Umbraculum

"Umbraculum, Umbella, a parasol, was used by Greek and Roman ladies as a protection against the sun.…

"Vannus, A winnowing van, a bread basket, into which the corn mixed with chaff was received after trashing, and was then thrown in the direction of the wind. Virgil dignifies this simple implement by calling it mustica vannus Iacchi. The rites of Bacchus, as well as those of Ceres, having a continual reference to the occupations of rural life, the vannus was borne in the procession celebrated in honour of both these divinities. In the cut annexed the infant Bacchus is carried in a vannus by two dancing bacchantes clothed in skins." &mdash Smith; 1873

Vannus

"Vannus, A winnowing van, a bread basket, into which the corn mixed with chaff was received after trashing,…

"The Vaphio Gold Cups" &mdash; Morey, 1903

Vaphio

"The Vaphio Gold Cups" — Morey, 1903

"Velum, a curtain. Curtains were used in private houses as coverings over doors, or they served in the interior of the house as substitutes for doors." &mdash Smith; 1873

Velum

"Velum, a curtain. Curtains were used in private houses as coverings over doors, or they served in the…

Illustration of a painting of the ancient Greeks returning victorious from the Battle of Salamis against the Persians. Athenian women run out to meet the soldiers as they emerge from their ships. Ships' masts can be seen to the right. One soldier rears up on horseback.

The Victors of Salamis by Fernand Cormon

Illustration of a painting of the ancient Greeks returning victorious from the Battle of Salamis against…

The Temple of the Wingless Victory.

Temple of the Wingless Victory

The Temple of the Wingless Victory.

"Represents the <em>falx vinitoria</em>, or pruning-knife for vines, to which the <em>ensis falcatus</em> have a close resemblence." &mdash; Anthon, 1891

Falx vinitoria

"Represents the falx vinitoria, or pruning-knife for vines, to which the ensis falcatus…

"After the fall of Athens Sparta stood without a rival in Greece." &mdash; Smith, 1882

Greek warriot

"After the fall of Athens Sparta stood without a rival in Greece." — Smith, 1882

An assortment of lances, darts, and pikes.

Weapons

An assortment of lances, darts, and pikes.

A Greek woman laying peacefully on an alter.

Woman laying down

A Greek woman laying peacefully on an alter.

"It is a very common error to translate <em>monile baccatum</em>, "a pearl necklace". The ornament of which we are here speaking is frequently shown in ancient paintings, as in the two following cuts." &mdash; Anthon, 1891

Women with necklaces

"It is a very common error to translate monile baccatum, "a pearl necklace". The ornament of…

"It is a very common error to translate <em>monile baccatum</em>, "a pearl necklace". The ornament of which we are here speaking is frequently shown in ancient paintings, &c., as in the two following cuts." &mdash; Anthon, 1891

Women with necklaces

"It is a very common error to translate monile baccatum, "a pearl necklace". The ornament of…

An illustration of eight different types of Greek women.

Types of Greek Women

An illustration of eight different types of Greek women.

"Wounded Amazon" &mdash; Morey, 1903

Wounded Amazon

"Wounded Amazon" — Morey, 1903

"The Olympic games were of greater efficacy than the Amphictyonic Council in promoting the spirit of union among the various branches of the Greek race, and in keeping alive a feeling of their common origin. They were open to all persons who could prove their Hellenic blood, and were frequented by spectators from all parts of the Grecian world. They were celebrated at Olympia, on the banks of the alpheus, in the territory of Elis." &mdash; Smith, 1882

Wrestling

"The Olympic games were of greater efficacy than the Amphictyonic Council in promoting the spirit of…

The return of Xerxes to Persia.

Xerxes

The return of Xerxes to Persia.