The procession begins
Horsemen – South Frieze
The south frieze depicts the procession of the Great Panathenaea. It begins with the marshal on the first block, the horsemen, charioteers, the elders, tray-bearers, olive branch-bearers, musicians, offering tray-bearers and animal drivers leading the sacrificial animals. The horsemen are divided into ten ranks, distinguishable by their clothing. The ten ranks correspond to the ten Attic tribes, into which the citizens of Athens were grouped. The horses are all depicted in profile view and some appear calm, some galloping, whilst others appear to be racing each other. They are followed by ten chariots and then by the animal drivers and the sacrificial animals. There are 149 human forms in total, 60 horsemen, ten chariots and ten oxen.
As seen on
Acropolis Museum: the treasures of Athena