Grave Monument of a Greek Warrior

This inscribed flat pillar stood above the grave of a Greek warrior from Athens who died in the late sixth century B.C.E. An inscription preserves his name for future generations to remember: Aristion. The sculpture shows him with the muscular build that Greek hoplites (heavily armed infantry) worked to develop so that they could fight effectively while wearing metal armor. He holds the thrusting spear that was a hoplite’s main battle weapon. (© AISA / Everett Collection.)