The Greeks were another ancient civilization that implemented the stele. It allowed them a means to commemorate their dead. Greek stele would depict an image of the deceased, often with other family members such as wives/husbands and children. The Greek grave-markers of the 3rd-1st century BCE are almost wholly restricted to the East Greek World. The most common type of the Greek stele contained architectural elements, a huge figure of the deceased with small attendants and were tall in height. The "Death Feast" or "Totenmahl reliefs" is one example of a Greek stele, which depicts the deceased at a feast (Rothermel 354).
The Western Asia Minor Funerary Stele falls under these distinctions (University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology). The stele is from Asia Minor, part of the East Greek World, during the 1st century BCE. It portrays a man lying on a dining couch under an arch. He is leaning on his left elbow and holding up a funerary wreath with his hand. It's believed that the woman on the left is his wife that appears to be thinking of her deceased husband. There are also two attendants, one on either side of the arch, and a table in front of the deceased loaded with food.
This stele has all the distinct characteristics (mentioned previously) of the grave-markers from the eastern part of the Greek Empire. The architectural elements (the arch), an image of the deceased (the man on the couch), the broad rectangular shape of the stele, and the "Death Feast" are all-present within this stele (Rothermel 354). Since this stele was created during the Hellenistic period, it has the Hellenistic features as well. The style of the stele varies due to the location in which it was made. The deep cuts, the naturalism of the drapery and bodies, and the portraiture of the deceased reflect Hellenistic style.
Romans were also inclined to use the stele amongst other things, to commemorate their dead.