Throughout history, the purpose of art is dedicated to everything from decorative embellishments to religious tributes. However, the art was also used by rulers and other powerful figures for propaganda reasons as well. This can be seen through a survey of works of art ranging from the Hellenistic period to the Ottonian period. At the beginning of the Hellenistic period Alexander the Great had just died, leaving his vast empire fragmented among many individual leaders. Many Greeks left the Balkan Peninsula to look for work abroad, thus abandoning their identity and ties to the ancient Greek city states. The result was a greater focus on the individual, a psychological sense of isolation, as well as a blend of foreign and Greek elements in the arts. The bust of Euthydemus I, king of Bactria, exemplifies all these characteristics. During that time, many other leaders sought to compare themselves to Alexander and his greatness in the arts. However, unlike the other leaders of the fragmented kingdoms, Euthydemus does not conform to this practice for propaganda reasons. As the ruler of the highly inclined and unstable kingdom of Bactria (present-day Afghanistan and Pakistan), Euthydemus wanted a representation of himself that was harsh and feared. Therefore, the bust portrays a cruel-looking old man with individualistic features, exaggerated folds, and a ruthless expression. No doubt, Euthydemus ordered this interpretation of his personality to serve as a warning that he could potentially be a terrible enemy. Moving on to the Hellenistic Baroque period, the Greeks now suffer attacks from the Central European Gauls. Ultimately, the Gauls were defeated in battle by the Pergamon army under Attalus I. Attalus I then builds...... middle of paper ...... of the Byzantine era. In the Luthar Gospel miniature of Otto III on the throne, this Byzantine feature is replicated and expanded. Instead of merely representing Otto as divine authority on earth, Otto appears to replace Jesus entirely. This appears to be the case for the following reasons: he is enthroned in heaven, crowned by the hands of God, is surrounded by the symbols of the evangelists, and sits on the personification of the earth. Similar to the San Vitale panel, where Justinian is surrounded by military and ecclesiastical officials, Otto III is also surrounded by officials of the Church and State. This serves to show the ruler's primary authority over both sectors of the empire. However, unlike the Justinian panel, this illumination of Otto III is much bolder through the grandiose symbols of heaven and God's direct enthronement of Otto III's divine power..