their inspiration and model the Athenian Acropolis. The identity of the god to whom
the great altar is dedicated has been disputed (whether Athena or Zeus), though most
authorities refer to the altar as the Great altar of Zeus. The subjects of the statuary
decorating the frieze are thoroughly Greek, with no Oriental influence. The inner frieze
represents the story of Telephus, a son of Heracles, and the mythical founder of the
city. Other parts of the frieze represent the traditional Greek subject of the battle of
the Olympians with the Giants, though the identity of particular gods and giants has
been much debated. The victory of the Olympians represents the triumph of order
over chaos, a triumph that historians have associated in this case with the victories
ART 263FIGURE 67 Head of Alexander, school of Lysippus
Source: ©C.M. Dixon/Ancient Art and Architecture collection Ltd