The South Metope III from the Parthenon Marbles, currently held in the British Museum, is a relief sculpture from the Classical era of Ancient Greece, dating around 438-432 BC. This rectangular piece, forged from Pentelic marble, stands at 1.3m high and 1.2m wide, exhibiting detailed carving and a dynamic arrangement informed by the sculptural techniques of its time.
The metope represents a scene from Herakles' (Hercules') labors, specifically his battle with the Amazon Antiope. The composition employs high relief to emphasize Hercules' muscular form and movement, his figure identifiable by the lion-skin cape carved at his back. The depiction of Antiope embodies the Classical Greek concept of an Amazon, evidenced by her warrior attire and the intensity of the conflict.
Originally, this metope was situated on the southern side of the Parthenon's frieze, subsumed among 92 other metopes. Each metope depicted different episodes from ancient myths. The South Metope III remains one of the finest preserved pieces from the Parthenon and serves as a distinctive representation of Classical Greek sculptural finesse and intricacy.
The metope's history is significant. Following the Parthenon's transformation into a Christian church in the 6th-century AD, many of the marbles were removed or disfigured. This specific metope, however, only suffered damage in the late 17th century during the Venetian siege of Athens.
In the early 19th century, Thomas Bruce, the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, controversially obtained and transported many of the remaining Parthenon sculptures to Britain. Since 1816, the South Metope III has been a part of the British Museum collection.
