The Villa of Theseus gets it's name from this mosaic depicting
Theseus killing the Minotaur. Since its discovery in 1966, the Villa of
Theseus has been excavated by the Polish Archaeological
Mission.The scene is surrounded by a geometric mosaic thought to
represent the Labyrinth of Knossos. Of particular interest is the way
the Minotaur was portrayed by showing only a gigantic and
threatening bull's head.
The Villa of Theseus gets it's name from this mosaic depicting
Theseus killing the Minotaur. Since its discovery in 1966, the Villa of
Theseus has been excavated by the Polish Archaeological Mission.
The scene is surrounded by a geometric mosaic thought to
represent the Labyrinth of Knossos. Of particular interest is the way
the Minotaur was portrayed by showing only a gigantic and
threatening bull's head
Mosaic depicting Theseus and Minotaur, From Pompei, Naples,
Museo Archeologico Nazionale (Archaeological Museum).
Theseus killing the Minotaur, Roman mosaic, Museum of Cyrene,
Libya. Picture taken by Sebasti Giralt.
nd. Theseus Freeing Children from the Minotaur. Fresco from
Pompeii. Artist unknown, 50-79 CE. National Archaeological
Museum, Naples.
Detail of Theseus and the Minotaur on the Garland Sarcophagus in
the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Marble sarcophagus with garlands and scenes the myth of Theseus
and Ariadne. Roman, Hadrianic or early Antonine period, ca. 130-
150 AD
On the lid, shown in delicate, low relief, winged erotes drive chariots
drawn by animals associated with the four seasons: bears with
spring, lions with summer, bulls with fall, and boars with winter. On
the front, four erotes bear seasonal garlands composed of flowers,
wheat, grapes, pomegrantes, and laurel. Between the swags are
three episodes from the myth of the Greek hero Theseus. With the
help of the Cretan princess Ariadne, Theseus slew the Minotaur, a
part-bull, part-human monster who was caged in a labyrinth, where
he consumed Athenian boys and girls sent as annual tribute.
Depicted from left to right are: Ariadne giving a thread to Theseus at
the entrance to the labyrinth, Theseus slaying the Minotaur, and the
sleeping Ariadne abandoned on the island of Naxos, where she will
be awakened by the god Dionysos and will become his immortal
bride.
In another version, King Minos of Crete had waged war with the
Athenians and was successful. He then demanded that, at nine-year
intervals, seven Athenian boys and seven Athenian girls were to be
sent to Crete to be devoured by the Minotaur, a half-man, half-bull
monster that lived in the Labyrinth created by Daedalus.
After decapitating the beast, Theseus used the string to escape the
Labyrinth and managed to escape with all of the young Athenians
and Ariadne as well as her younger sister Phaedra. Then he and the
rest of the crew fell asleep on the beach. Athena woke Theseus and
told him to leave early that morning. Athena told Theseus to leave
Ariadne and Phaedra on the beach. Stricken with distress, Theseus
forgot to put up the white sails instead of the black ones, so the king
committed suicide, in some versions throwing himself off a cliff and
into the sea. Dionysus later saw Ariadne crying out for Theseus and
took pity on her and married her.
Theseus Slaying the Minotaur (1843), bronze sculpture by Antoine-
Louis Barye. Baltimore Museum of Art.
tienne-Jules Ramey, Theseus and the Minotaur, 1821, marble.
Grand Carr, the Tuileries Garden, Paris.