Myron was the ancient Greek sculptor credited with creating the Discobolus, the famous image of an athlete throwing a discus.
Myron worked in the fifth century BC and was especially celebrated in antiquity for capturing movement and bodily tension. His original Discobolus was probably a bronze, but it has not survived. The familiar versions seen today are Roman marble copies or adaptations based on the lost Greek original.
The athlete is shown at a carefully balanced instant immediately before releasing the discus. The sculpture’s compact, twisting pose creates a powerful impression of motion, although the head is often criticized for appearing calmer than the body.
Several Roman copies differ in details, including the position of the head and the support used for the figure. Consequently, “the Discobolus” refers to a type based on Myron’s lost composition rather than one uniquely surviving ancient statue.