The sculptures from the pediments of the Temple of Aphaia show two periods of Greek art: on the west, Late Archaic, on the east, Early Classical. The work on the west started in 510 BC while the battle on the east was completed around 20 years later.
Both pediments have Athena at the center with Greeks battling Trojans at her sides. On the west, with the better-preserved sculptures, Ajax and Achilles are the heroes. Note how the archers aim at enemies close by.
Although produced later, the eastern pediment depicts events from a generation earlier. Telamon and Peleus (the fathers of Ajax and Achilles) are fighting directly next to Athena, as their sons did on the opposite side of the temple. However, the real hero is Herakles. He kneels down and shoots an arrow to kill King Laomedon on the far side of the pediment.