Parthenon Metope: Centaur Resists Lapith

This metope from the Parthenon’s south side (447–438 BC) depicts a battle between a Centaur and a Lapith, symbolizing the clash of chaos and order. The Lapiths were a legendary Thessalian tribe famed for their discipline and hospitality, whose wedding feast was violently disrupted by drunken Centaurs. The Centaur’s twisting attack contrasts with the Lapith’s restraint, reflecting Athens’ belief in civilization triumphing over barbarism—a core theme of the Parthenon’s sculptural program.