Video: Elgin Throne

When you think of a throne, what do you imagine? A regal chair, ornate, carved, a symbol of power? Now, get that image out of your head because it’s not at all what we're talking about here. No, this throne is made of hard, gray marble and scientifically speaking probably wouldn’t have been too comfortable for your gluteus maximus muscles.

In Athens around the third century BCE it would have been used in a public forum so everybody could marvel at it. Let’s get a closer look. On the back are two olive wreaths, symbols of honor. On the sides are depictions of two different stories. The first is of Harmodios and Aristogeiton, also known as the Tyrannicides, the bug spray against oppressive rulers, the Ghostbusters of tyrants. Harmodios and Aristogeiton killed the oppressor Hipparchos in 514 BCE and were hailed as heroes to the Athenian people.

On the other side, we travel from history into mythology with the depiction of Theseus and Antiope in battle. Theseus at the time was helping Herakles on a quest to steal the belt of Queen Hippolyte of the Amazons. No, not that Amazon, the warrior tribe in Greek mythology. While fighting the Amazons, Theseus kidnapped Antiope, Hippolyte’s sister, which led to war between the Athenians and the Amazons, and eventual Athenian victory. Theseus was the first king to be sort of kind of okay with his people having a say on certain issues. And some ancient historians believed this led to the all important birth of democracy.

What kinds of people get special seats today?