ProjectBACCHAE - Chariots of Love

I realise that I can be a bit special (sure, aren't we all in a way?), and I like to do things a little bit different, but this time I may have got a little carried away! 

In Hellenistic and Roman art, chariot races between erotes (the pluralised form of Eros) is a relatively common theme. Generally they occur in dining/symposium contexts, and in that way, are associated with Dionysos and other Dionysiac themes. They also appear in burial contexts which can, again, have Dionysiac associations, either overtly, or more subtly. Thrice-born Dionysos was, afterall, a god of death and resurection as well as out-of-body experiences. Anyway, my point is that in the Greco-Roman world, winged children driving chariots pulled by animals was a 'thing'.

Goat-drawn chariots from a fresco in the House of the Chaste Lovers, Pompeii.

Goat-drawn chariots from a fragmentary fresco from Seleukid Jebel Khalid on the Euphrates.

Deer-drawn chariots from a fresco in the House of the Vettii, Pompeii.

Tiger/leopard-drawn chariots from a mosaic in theVilla Romana, Desenzano.

Deer, lion and, goat-drawn chariots from a Roman sarcophagus now in the Berlin, Antikensammlung.

Erote/cupid-drawn chariot from a fresco in Herculaneum.

I took a notion that this was a thing I wanted for ProjectBACCAE and so the quest began. The drivers for my chariots are 28mm cherubs from Warmonger Miniatures. I settled on 15mm Roman racing chariots from Essex Miniatures with yokes and shafts removed and replaced with longer versions made of 28mm spearshafts and greenstuff. The goats are digital models sculpted by Duncan Shadow (kindly printed by Jeff Gatlin of Shieldwall Gaming Club in Willoughby, OH) with greenstuff harnesses. 

I think they turned out pretty well and I have enough cherubs and goats on hand to rig up another two chariots in the future.

These two likely-lads-looking-for-trouble were been built for Fantastic Battles where I've a provisional profile in mind: vehicles with the fast and furious charge traits. I'm yet not convinced about the latter, but those goats stand pretty tall and they have some really impressive horns. Of course, now that I have them, I really want to use them in a game of Faustus Furius, probably as agile chariots...

And now, because I'm happy with them, here are a few too many photos of them from different angles. 😁