Final answer:
The Western Frieze's Amazonomachy symbolizes the battle between the civilized Athenians and the barbaric Amazons. It serves as a metaphor for Greek victories and the cultural struggle between order and chaos, reflective of the Greeks' self-image as champions of civilization during historical conflicts like the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars.
Step-by-step explanation:
Theme in the Western Frieze: Amazonomachy
The theme depicted in the Western Frieze, known as Amazonomachy, represents the battle between the Athenians and the Amazons. This artwork from Ancient Greece is a celebration of Greek victories and showcases the struggle between the forces of order (the Greeks) and the chaos embodied by the foreign Amazons. The metopes on this frieze, overseen by the acclaimed sculptor Phidias, convey a sense of dynamic battle and struggle, which was a frequent theme in Greek art, symbolizing the conflict between civilization and barbarism. The Greeks often depicted themselves as champions of civilization fighting against various 'monstrous' or barbaric adversaries, a metaphor for their historical conflicts like those during the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars.
This narrative technique in sculpture represented Greek values and served as a symbolic narrative, celebrating Greek heroism and divine favor. Such depictions also promoted the social and political ideologies of Athens, particularly during the Classical period. This artistic endeavor embodied not only the aesthetic values of the Greeks but also their worldview, in which they saw themselves as the upholders of order and democracy against outside threats.