Which ancient Greek statue of a discus thrower is famous?

The Discobolus is the famous ancient Greek statue of a discus thrower. The original was made by the sculptor Myron around 460–450 BCE, during the beginning of Greece’s Classical period.

The sculpture captures an athlete at the instant before releasing the discus. Its tightly coiled body, extended arms, and controlled balance create a powerful impression of movement, even though the figure is fixed in stone or bronze. The original was probably cast in bronze and has been lost, but its appearance is known through several Roman copies, many of them marble.

Discobolus is a Greek term meaning “discus thrower,” and the name can refer to the type of statue as well as Myron’s celebrated composition. The most famous surviving versions include the so-called Lancellotti Discobolus and the Palombara Discobolus. A frequent mistake is to confuse it with the Venus de Milo or Winged Victory of Samothrace, which are also iconic Greek sculptures. Unlike those works, Discobolus is specifically identified by its athletic subject and twisting throwing pose.