The Lesche of the Knidians: Kimon and the Battle of the Eurymedon River

The Battle of the Eurymedon River took place anywhere from 470-465 B.C. (Kebric 1983: 9) The Knidians, as part of the Delian League, helped Kimon to victory over the Persians at the Battle of the Eurymedon. The booty from this battle would have provided the money needed to make a monumental dedication to Apollo like the Lesche. The Battle of the Eurymedon was seen as another conflict between East and West and connections to the Trojan War and earlier heroics were unavoidable. Kimon could trace his family history to many prominent heroes from the paintings of the Iliupersis and the Nekyia, including Ajax, Achilles, Theseus (whose bones he supposedly recovered) and Zeus himself. The relationship between the Athenian general Kimon and the heroic figures from the paintings would have been understood by the knowledgeable fifth century B.C. viewer. Kimon, an experienced propagandist, most likely was involved in the choice of theme for the paintings of the Lesche. The Iliupersis is directly related to the recent victory over the Persians and Kimon's link to Theseus and the Nekyia has already been illustrated. The choice of theme in the two paintings is pro-Kimonian and reflect a pro-Athenian sentiment. Polygnotos was also asked, by his patron Kimon, to paint similar representations in Athens.