Kallipatira (Καλλιπάτειρα) statue

Γλυπτό Καλλιπάτειρα (1) n

Γλυπτό Καλλιπάτειρα (11) n

Artist: Andreas Terentis 

Location: Faros location. Larnaka district. 

Category: Ancient Greek and Byzantine legacy

Photography: Evangelia Matthopoulou

Kallipatira was daughter, sister, wife and mother of Olympic Games winners in ancient Greece. She dared to dress like a man and enter the Olympic stadium during the Olympic Games, ignoring the strict prohibition of women. Although she was caught, she avoided the death penalty because of her family reputation and mainly because her act was interpreted as prompted by motherly love and pride. 

The statue is an exact copy of one of the figures of the Aradippou village (Larnaka district) memorial dedicated to the Cypriot mother, and the Mother of the dead and missing memorial at Vrisoules village (Ammochostos district). All three are made by the same sculptor.

The monument was commissioned by a private committee for Kallipatira monument and the unveiling took place on February 1st 2004. 

Selected sources:
~ Αρχείο Συμβουλευτικής Επιτροπής Μνημείων Υπουργείου Παιδείας & Πολιτισμού (Advisory Monuments’ Committee) 14.3.01/7, document February 10, 2004. 

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