Exceptionally rare, large bronze sculptures from Greek antiquity are among the top artworks to see in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, Greece.
The few surviving large bronze sculptures from Greek antiquity, such as the Zeus of Artemision, the Jockey, and youths from Marathon and Antikythera, remain the quintessential representation of Greek artistic ideals, emphasizing harmony, proportion, and strength.
These large bronzes serve as a testament to the skills of ancient Greek sculptors and their ability to depict both physical perfection and divine presence. Theys are among the most admired pieces in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens today. Time-slot reservation tickets are essential, but fortunately, opening hours are long.
The most praised large bronze sculptures from Greek antiquity on display in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, Greece, are:
- Zeus of Artemision, ca 460–450 BCE, Early Classical period
- Marathon Youth (Ephebe, ca. 340–330 BCE, Late Classical period
- Antikythera Youth (Ephebe), ca. 340–330 BCE, Late Classical period
- Jockey of Artemision, ca. 140–130 BCE, Hellenistic period
- Equestrian Statue of Octavian, ca. 27 BCE, the Roman period.
Large Bronze Sculptures from Greek Antiquity in Athens
Bronze statues from antiquity are exceptionally rare. In antiquity, as now, large bronze sculptures were difficult and expensive to make; easy and cheap to destroy. Through the centuries, many were melted down for their valuable materials to recycle into weapons, household utensils, construction industries, coinage, or smaller artworks.
Most of the large bronze statues displayed in Athens survived to the present due to being shipwrecked during transportation in antiquity. The discovery of several nearly intact sculptures in various salvage operations provided historians and archaeologists with a rare opportunity to study a large-scale, free-standing bronze statue from the Classical period.
Greek sculptors used the complex lost-wax casting technique to produce intricate, lifelike bronze figures. The hollow-cast bronze construction made the statues lighter while maintaining durability and strength. Unlike marble statues, which required structural supports, bronze sculptures could achieve dramatic poses and extended limbs without collapsing under their own weight.
Bronze Statue of Zeus of Artemision in Athens
The Bronze Statue of Zeus of Artemision, created around 460–450 BCE, is one of the most remarkable surviving masterpieces of ancient Greek sculpture displayed in Athens. It showcases the artistic and technical mastery of the Classical period and remains an enduring symbol of ancient Greek civilization. The statue was discovered in two separate parts in 1926 and 1928 from a shipwreck at Cape Artemision in northern Euboea. (The Jockey was discovered here a decade later.)
This large bronze statue, created using the lost-wax casting technique, is a prime example of the Severe Style, which marks the transition from the Archaic to the Classical period. It stands approximately 2.09 meters (6 feet 9 inches) tall.
Zeus or Poseidon?
Scholars continue to debate whether the statue represents Zeus, the king of the gods, or Poseidon, the god of the sea. They were brothers, although fictitious, so their portrayals are often fairly similar.
The figure takes a powerful stance, with one arm extended forward and the other raised, as if about to hurl a thunderbolt or a trident. As the thunderbolt would have been smaller and easier to manage in such a dynamic pose, current thinking leans towards Zeus.
The sculptor masterfully captures the tension and balance of the figure, creating a sense of imminent action. The statue’s anatomical accuracy and dynamic posture reflect a deep understanding of human musculature and movement.
The positioning of the feet is typical contrapposto—one planted firmly and the other slightly raised. It demonstrates the artist’s ability to convey motion, a hallmark of Classical Greek art. The extended arms emphasize the moment before the god releases his weapon, making the statue a striking example of action frozen in time.
The face exhibits a calm yet commanding expression, characteristic of early Classical sculpture, moving away from the stiff, rigid poses of the Archaic period.
Related Bronzes in the Museum
Greeks already cast bronzes in the transitional phase from the Archaic Period (750-480 BCE) to the Classical Period (480-323 BCE).
A fine example is the Bronze Statuette of Poseidon (around 480 B.C.) recovered from the seabed off Boeotia. The statue, dedicated to the god of the seas according to an inscription at the base, shows Poseidon holding his trident vertically. His inlaid eyes were of a different material; his lips still red. This Poseidon is in Room 14, at the end of the Archaic sculptures collection, right next to the door that leads to Room 15 with the large Bronze Zeus.
A much smaller bronze figurine of Zeus Keraunios is in room 36. It has a fairly similar stance and appearance to the large bronze Zeus of Artemision. The god poises the thunderbolt menacingly in the raised right hand, ready to hurl it, and extends the left arm. Although this figurine from a Corinthian workshop dates from around 470-460 BCE, the earliest similar bronze Zeus statuettes are from the 6th century BC.
Nearby, but much older, is the Statuette of an Ithyphallic Dancing Silen, ca. 540-530 BCE from a Corinthian workshop. He has the features of a man and a horse, including, of course, a rather prominently displayed, outsized erection. It would have been smut if it weren’t this old, but it is interesting to know that the endless garish copies on sale in many souvenir shops in Athens are actually based on a real Greek bronze original from antiquity.
Jockey of Artemision
The Jockey of Artemision is often the most popular bronze sculpture in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. It depicts a young boy riding a galloping horse, capturing a dynamic and dramatic moment frozen in time.
This exceptionally rare example of Hellenistic bronze artistry dates from around 140–130 BCE. Like the Artemision Zeus, it was discovered off Cape Artemision, in northern Euboea, from the wreckage of an ancient ship and recovered in several fragments between 1928 and 1937.
The statue stands 2.1 meters (6 feet 10 inches) tall. The horse is in mid-gallop, its muscles tensed and mouth open as if breathing heavily. The boy, significantly smaller in scale, sits bareback on the powerful horse. He grips the reins (non-existent) with one hand while raising the other, possibly holding a whip. His facial expression shows intense focus, agony, and passion. His small frame suggests he was a child jockey, reflecting the use of young riders in ancient Greek horse racing.
The sculpture’s realism and movement showcase the advanced skills of Hellenistic sculptors, who sought to capture emotion, motion, and drama. The contrast between the massive, muscular horse and the fragile, determined child rider enhances the artwork’s sense of energy and excitement.
The bronze Jockey of Artemision, one of the most breathtaking and dynamic depictions of ancient Greek equestrian culture, is in Room 21 in the National Museum of Archaeology in Athens, Greece.
Other Horse Bronzes from Greek Antiquity
Large bronze horses from Greek antiquity are exceptionally rare. Probably the most famous are the four bronze horses of St Mark’s Basilica in Venice. These 4th century BC horses were part of a chariot group without the dynamism of the Hellenistic era Jockey.
A few Roman horse sculptures survived, although mostly restored. A few examples are in the National Museum of Archaeology in Naples and the Marcus Aurelius statue in Rome.
Horses feature in many marble sculptures and reliefs in the rest of the museum, but none as impressive as Jockey.
Marathon Youth
The Marathon Youth, also known as the Ephebe of Marathon, is a bronze statue from the Late Classical period (c. 340–330 BCE), associated with the school of Praxiteles. It was discovered in 1925 in the Bay of Marathon, Greece.
Standing 1.30 meters (4 feet 3 inches) tall, it depicts a young nude male (ephebe) with an idealized, athletic physique. His relaxed yet dignified pose reflects the influence of contrapposto, with his weight shifted slightly to one side.
The object he held in his raised right hand is not preserved. It is also unclear what he held in his left hand (not original), toward which he turns his head and gazes steadily.
The statue’s missing attributes — possibly a wreath, a strigil (used by athletes), or a staff — make identification challenging. The band on his head ends in an upright leaf above the forehead, suggesting the young winner of a contest.
Although the naked male youth probably represents a victorious athlete, it may also be a god (such as Hermes or Apollo), or a hero.
The statue’s finely detailed facial features, smooth skin, and carefully rendered muscles showcase the artistic refinement of the Late Classical period.
Antikythera Youth
The Antikythera Youth, also known as the Ephebe of Antikythera, is like the Marathon Youth, a striking bronze statue dating from around 340–330 BCE, during the Late Classical period of ancient Greek art. It was discovered in 1900 off the coast of Antikythera, Greece, among the remains of a Roman-era shipwreck.
The statue stands approximately 1.94 meters (6 feet 4 inches) tall. It depicts a youthful nude male (ephebe) with an athletic yet graceful physique. His well-proportioned body stands in a relaxed contrapposto stance. His face has a calm, introspective expression, characteristic of Late Classical Greek sculpture. As are the detailed wavy hair and soft, idealized facial features.
The youth originally held an object in his outstretched right hand, but it has been lost. Scholars debate his identity—some suggest he could represent Perseus holding the head of Medusa, Paris presenting the golden apple of strife, or Hermes with a missing staff. Paris seems to be the most popular guess.
The statue, attributed to the Sikyonian sculptor Euphranor, was found in pieces along with the famous Antikythera Mechanism (ca. 150-100 BC), the oldest surviving astronomical and calendrical portable) usually displayed in Room 38.
Bronze Equestrian Statue of Octavian Augustus
The Equestrian Statue of Octavian Augustus is a remarkable bronze sculpture dating from around 12-10 BCE during the transitional period between the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. It was recovered from the Aegean Sea between the islands of Euboea and Agios Efstratios.
The Emperor Augustus (29 BC to AD 14) is depicted in mature age, mounting a horse (which was lost). From the museum’s description: “He wears a tunica with a vertical purple stripe (clavus purpurea) and a fringed paludamentum decorated with a maeander pattern. Iconographic features of the Prima Porta and Actium types are combined in this statue. The right hand is raised in a gesture of official greeting. The hilt of his sword can be seen below the left hand, in which he held the horse’s reins.”
On the bezel of his finger-ring a staff of divination (lituus) is engraved, symbolising the supreme religious office of Pontifex Maximus. This detail is important in dating the work to around 12 – 10 BCE, as Augustus assumed this office in 12 BC. The sculpture is just over 1.2 m tall.
Other Equestrian Sculptures from Antiquity
The very impressive Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius, ca. 161–180 CE, in the Capitoline Museums, Rome, is the only fully intact large-scale Roman equestrian statue that survived antiquity. (See also the older Jockey of Artemision above, but this Hellenistic masterpiece is in a completely different spirit.)
→ See also: Top Archaic Sculptures for more on the museum’s fantastic collection of korai and kouroi sculptures, Top Classical and Hellenistic Sculptures, and Tickets and Tips for Visiting the National Archaeological Museum of Greece in Athens for more information on this wonderful museum. Opening hours are long and tickets are cheap but time-slot reservations are essential.
More on Visiting Athens
- Acropolis & Parthenon:
- Acropolis Museum
- National Archaeological Museum of Athens:
- Ancient Agora — Archaeological Site and Museum
- 5-Day Combination Tickets — Worth it?
- Visit the Museum of Cycladic Art
- Cheap Public Transportation to Athens Airport — Bus X95 is cheapest, Metro M3 is fastest.
- Odysseus — the official website of the Ministry of Culture and Sports has better information than the very old-fashioned design.
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