Running rings round Troy: Recycling the ‘Epic Circle’ in Hellenistic and Roman art

Hellenistic and Roman artists frequently reinterpreted the 'Epic Cycle'—a collection of narratives about Troy—not only through poetry but also visually, adding new dimensions to these ancient tales. While original works are scarce, surviving sculptures, mosaics, and paintings reveal that Epic Cycle themes were highly popular among political and social elites, as evidenced by commissioned works like Hieron II's Iliad mosaics in the 3rd century BC. The study reinterprets these visual 'testimonia' not to reconstruct lost narratives but to explore how art paralleled contemporary literary concerns, offering a unique lens on ancient reception of epic stories.

Squire, M. (2015). Running rings round Troy: Recycling the ‘Epic Circle’ in Hellenistic and Roman art. The Greek Epic Cycle and Its Ancient Reception, 496–542. https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9780511998409.029