The Archaic Age, when this sort of poetry first flourished, was also the age of the hoplite ~ the heavily armed soldier who fought in formation with his fellows. As these men fought and died, sometimes the straps of their shields were decorated with metal bands of almost cartoon-strip scenes such as a hoplite might associate with. Found at Olympia where they were dedicated 2,500 years ago, several depict Zeus's battle with Typhon, the consmic parallel for the hoplite's work!!!*
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