The Getty Villa: The Removal of Briseis

Below is a fragment of a mosaic referencing a scene in Homer's the Iliad.  A larger image can be seen here. 

Achilles is about to lose possession of the concubine Briseis to Agamemnon. This is just the antiquities version of Days of Our Lives.

Briseis was married to Mynes.  During the Trojan war, Archilles stormed the city of Lyrnessus (where Briseis and her husband lived) and killed Mynes.  Briseis was taken as a prisoner and became a concubine.  If you didn't know, a concubine was a socially accepted position for a "lesser wife".  One could be married and still have one or more concubines, as long as the relationship was stable.  I am trying to think through whether this is a good thing or not.  I see some potential dangers with this.

Well, Agamemnon (who names their kid Agamemnon, he's going to get his ass kicked in school, ya know), demanded Briseis from Achilles because he had been forced to give up his own female captive, Chryseis.  I don't know why Agamemnon didn't just go find another female captive.   I am sure there were plenty to be found at the local health club and juice bar.

It turns out that Agamomnon survived the Trojan war and returned to Troy, just to be murdered by the lover of his wife Clytemnestra. 

See why this sounds like Days of Our Lives!!

ANYWAY, I found the mosaic work to be fascinating.   This is from 100-200 AD.