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Fragment of fresco with Tholos and statue of Athena Painted plaster Pompeii, origin unspecified Pompeii Archaeological Park, Inv. N. 41669 25⅜ × 20 ½ in.; thickness 1⅝ in. 45–79 CE (Fourth Style) © MIC – Parco Archeologico di Pompei
A green circular structure (tholos) is preserved on a white background, inside which stands a golden yellow statue of Athena Promachos ( promachos : who fights on the front line), suggesting that it was made of bronze. Athena, who, in the Greco-Roman pantheon, is the divinity of war, is depicted according to the iconography designed by the Greek sculptor Phidias for the statue of the goddess that was placed on the Acropolis of Athens. She wears a sleeveless chiton, to make it easier for her to use the spear and shield with which she is armed, and a crested helmet covers her head. She is preparing to lead the heroes into battle. The decorative scheme used here—with architectural elements (the tholos) that accommodate figurative elements (the statue)—is typical of the decorative motifs of the Fourth Style. —AC
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