The classical world is 20 per cent cooler: Greco-Roman pegasi in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

This article will look at the successful fantasy cartoon series My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (2010–) and its representation of Greco-Roman aesthetics in connection with the pegasi tribe in the depiction of the Pegasus city, Cloudsdale, and in the origins of the Pegasus tribe in the episode ‘Hearth’s Warming Eve’. In this episode, the ponies take part in a performance about the founding of their magical homeland, Equestria. The three tribes of ponies all represent different periods: the Earth ponies are Pioneer settlers, the Unicorns are mediaeval nobility, and the Pegasi are militaristic Greco-Roman. The article will explore the depiction of the Pegasi ponies with Greco-Roman elements and what this tells of the popular perception from cinema of the Greeks and celestial landscapes, and the Romans as a militaristic community. It will trace the evolution of these images within various media and how an association was created between Greco-Roman architecture, astral cities and military prowess, and how Pegasus became associated with this military fortitude and ancient world.