Why does Pericles wear his helmet like that?

[Hep Roc Heretic]

I had been playing as Pericles and the Greeks when the word, 'dotard' -- meaning a old, senile person -- came up in the news. Haha! Darned if that didn't describe Pericles, who wears his helmet on his head like a lost pair of reading glasses.

Well, then I found out that the picture of Pericles in Civ 6 seems to be modeled after the ancient bust of "Pericles with the Corinthian Helmet" which depicts Pericles with his helmet perched on top of his head. The helmet, I learned, is a symbol of his rank of strategos. I guess if you are a strategos, with an army to back you up, you can floss your style any way you want to.

I also found an historical footnote that may be relevant: Greek comedians liked to call Pericles "Squill-head" or "Leek-head" because of size and shape of his skull. Some copies of the bust of "Pericles with the Corinthian Helmet" show hair behind the eye holes, leading some to believe that Pericles had his helmet pulled down over his big head about as far as it would go.

So, why does Pericles wear his helmet that way? Take your pick: Dotard, fashionista, or Squill-head.

For real: I knew a guy many years ago who was named, "Cabbage Head", because of the shape of his head. Or, it could have been because of his IQ. It was even money either way.

 

[Cerilis]

maybe the artists also thought the helmet was iconic for him but still wanted to show his face.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

Because, this is the most famous image of Pericles:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pericles_with_the_Corinthian_helmet

 

[SammyKhalifa]

if i have learned anything from art and history, it's that his head was made of marble. he's depicted that way in every source.

of course he can't get his helmet down over that.

 

[Kimiimaro]

I like to call him "Squidhead", just because how his head + helmet looks

However, he was a great orator and strategos. He died in his sixties. In Civ, he looks like he is in his eighties at least
Also, with this depiction, I quite can't imagine him leading an army (although he really can. He really kicked my abs in my game as China when he attacked me with about 20 units...)

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[Returning Lurker]

Squill is a vegetable of the also known as a “sea onion”. Pericles had an onion for a head. Pericles was also a great warrior and wise teacher famed for his oratorical skills. Pericles was Chop-Chop Master Onion CONFIRMED!

 

[Morningcalm]

Pericles is portrayed inaccurately however--as others have pointed out he looks way older than 60, and he doesn't look like a general. My dad is over 60 and has way more muscle than Pericles of Civ VI, who was likely more of a silver fox due to his active lifestyle (and portrayed closer to middle age or even younger in IV, though at least the helmet fits).

They went way overboard trying to make Pericles look like Solon.

 

[Siptah]

I actually picture a 60 year old ancient greek looking much older than Pericles does in civ VI. He seems to be closer to 50 than 60 even when I look at rural greeks from today.
I don't see the general in Pericles that much when I look at him in civ VI, I agree on that. But I also don't see the general that much when I think of Pericles as a historical person, he seems to hide behind the other Pericleses ;-) Maybe Firaxis didn't want to portray him as a general to avoid two greek leaders with an aggressive leader screen? Or for Firaxis other aspects of Pericles are much more important?

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

I actually picture a 60 year old ancient greek looking much older than Pericles does in civ VI. He seems to be closer to 50 than 60 even when I look at rural greeks from today.
I don't see the general in Pericles that much when I look at him in civ VI, I agree on that. But I also don't see the general that much when I think of Pericles as a historical person, he seems to hide behind the other Pericleses ;-) Maybe Firaxis didn't want to portray him as a general to avoid two greek leaders with an aggressive leader screen? Or for Firaxis other aspects of Pericles are much more important?

It seems to me that they were trying to focus on Pericles as the architect of a political system rather than Pericles as a military leader.

 

[Morningcalm]

Indeed, and Pericles looks all the more weak-armed for it in VI.

 

[DWilson]

With a Mediterranean climate, and the likely wear his body had simply from living in a time with so much more limited medicine, I highly doubt he would age similar to today. I think that's probably a fairly realistic interpretation (as far as any of them are) in his later years.

 

[Morningcalm]

With a Mediterranean climate, and the likely wear his body had simply from living in a time with so much more limited medicine, I highly doubt he would age similar to today. I think that's probably a fairly realistic interpretation (as far as any of them are) in his later years.

If by later years you mean eighties, sure. But sixties? No. A Mediterranean climate + diet + active warrior lifestyle (which he had) = Pericles the Uber. And why portray him near the end of his life anyway? Is he meant to die of plague right after the game starts?

Civ IV's portrayal of Pericles was far better.

The same issues with Pericles in Civ VI arise with Trajan in Civ VI (weak arms, portrayed near the end of his life, looks more like another historical figure, in this case, Caesar, as portrayed in the Asterix comic).

 

[agonistes]

I like the portrayal. He looks wise. And sly.