The Acropolis Museum in Athens houses an unusual artifact – a marble ball known as the Helios-Apollo Ball, decorated with mysterious symbols and a figure reminiscent of the Statue of Liberty.
This ancient object was found in the 19th century by Professor Athanasios Roussopoulos at the foot of the Acropolis. The ball depicts a deity with sun rays on his head, sitting on a throne with a whip and scepter in his hands.
Discovery and description of the ball
The Helios-Apollo Ball is a perfect marble sphere on which relief images of a deity identified as Helios are carved.
Apollo in his chariot. / Photo: web.archive.org
At his feet sit two dogs (or, according to other interpretations, a lion and a dragon), one of which has a halo. The ball also contains several disks with intersecting circles containing Greek words (from the farthest left circle ΑΙΘΑΕΡ, ΑΝΑΒΠΑ, ΑΝΝΙΑΕΥ, ΕΔΕΒΩΠ̣Ι and ΑΠΙΟΒΙ) and a triangle with additional symbols. These geometric signs and images evoke associations with magic and ancient Greek rituals.
Apollo-Helios in Pompeii. / Photo: web.archive.org
Origin and meaning
Researchers date the Helios-Apollo Ball to the 2nd or 3rd centuries AD, but the exact time of its burial remains unknown. The symbols on the ball have not yet been deciphered, but their comparison with ancient Greek papyri indicates that it could be a magical object associated with the worship of the Sun. Since the ball was found in the Theater of Dionysus, there is speculation that it could have been used to ensure success in theatrical competitions.
The Belgian Hellenist Armand L. Delatte, who examined the ball in 1913, believed that the image on it belonged to the god Helios. However, other scientists put forward alternative versions, suggesting that the ball could be a talisman for gladiators, ensuring victory in battles. In this context, the illegible symbols could represent the tactics and strategies that gladiators were expected to use.
Alternative interpretations
The second part of the sphere with the image of a snake. / Photo: labrujulaverde.com
Some researchers have suggested that the figure on the ball may be Hecate, associated with the three torches, or even Dionysus, given his association with snakes. Delatte believed that the two dogs on the ball symbolize the constellations Canis Minor and Canis Major, and the ball itself is an image of the Sun in its highest activity.
Conclusion about the purpose of the ball
The price of the Helios-Apollo Ball and the skill required to make it indicate that its creator was not only wealthy, but also an educated man, familiar with the philosophy of his time. The ball was probably intended for storage and could serve as a source of health, protection and prosperity for its owner. However, the lack of symbols indicating victory over evil raises questions about its true purpose.
Helios Ball in the Acropolis Museum in Athens. / Photo: labrujulaverde.com
There is a version that the ball was buried to avoid the wrath of the spirit that could remain in it after the death of the magician. Perhaps his relatives or students decided to get rid of the dangerous object, choosing the sacred land of the Acropolis for this.
The inscription on the ball, reflected in the mirror. Acropolis Museum in Athens. / Photo: labrujulaverde.com
Despite many theories, the mystery of who buried the Helios-Apollo ball and why remains unsolved. Researchers continue to study this artifact, hoping to uncover its secrets and understand the role it played in ancient Greek culture and religion.
Detail of the image of Helios on the sphere. / Photo: labrujulaverde.com
More Stories
How the CIA was looking for the ark of the covenant
Traditions and pride: the school parade on March 25 was held in Athens
March 25 in Greece, a double holiday – Independence Day and Annunciation