Bronze (90% copper and 10% tin) had been worked by craftsmen in the Aegean since the 3rd Millennium BC. It was not until the Archaic period, however, that the first simple large-scale Greek sculptures of this material were created using the sphyrelaton technique (lit. “hammer driven”). Bronze sculptures were considered by the Greeks in antiquity to be the epitome of creative expression and a reflection of a sculptor’s mastery of his craft. Marble, however, also held a prominent position in ancient art, as statues made of this stone possessed an even longer history than bronze within the Greek repertoire.
Charioteer of Delphi 478 BC, Delphi
The Charioteer of Delphi was probably dedicated as a votive offering to the temple of Apollo by the tyrant of Gela (Sicily) – Polyzalos – after his victory in a chariot race at the Pythian Games in 478 BC.

Statue of Athena Parthenos (“Varvakeion Athena) 200 — 250 AD copy of original from 438 BC (replica)
This marble statue is a 3rd Century AD copy of a no longer extant ivory and gold statue which once stood inside the Parthenon (Athens), by the sculptor Pheidias (ca.480-430 BC) – the Athena Parthenos (completed ca.438 BC).

The Youth of Marathon 340 — 330 BC (replica)
The proportions and rendering of this figure’s body suggest that he may have been the work of a sculptor from the Praxitelean school between 340 and 330 BC. Scholars have claimed several identities for the youth such as an athlete, a contest-winner, a servant and the god Hermes.

Winged Sphinx Statue ca. 570 — 550 BC (replica)
Sphinxes derived from the winged (Near Eastern) and wingless (Egyptian) traditions were popular throughout Archaic Greece. This Spartan sphinx’s profile body and front-facing head clearly alluded to reliefs of the winged bull sculptures of Mesopotamia.

Kore Statue ca. 490 BC (replica)
The bodies of early korai and New Kingdom Egyptian sculptures were confined to the shape of the stone block from which they were carved, resulting in static and rectangular figures.

Kore Statue with Peplos ca. 530 BC (replica)
During the 6th Century, the peplos (long dress), which previously had been the normal dress for Attic korai, was replaced by the chiton – a short tunic originating from Ionia (western Anatolia).

Cavalry regiments were not ubiquitous among Greek city-states. Sparta, for instance, did not possess a dedicated cavalry unit until 424 BC – more than half a century after the Athenians. Prior to the introduction of the pad saddle to the Mediterranean by the Scythians in 2nd Century BC, Greek cavalrymen rode bareback or on thick cloths.

Depictions of a Mesopotamian or Persian king slaying a wild lion symbolised the sovereign’s divinely ordained ability to defend his kingdom from foreign forces. In Macedon, numismatic remains from as early as the 5th Century BC and later Hellenistic mosaics and wall-paintings demonstrate that the hunting of wild fauna was a practice popular among wealthy aristocrats. Hunting was also seen as a rite of initiation into adulthood for young boys in Macedon and may have also been the case in city-states like Sparta and Corinth.
Alexander the Great and General Krateros on a lion hunt ca.320 BC (replica)
This mosaic floor from Pella depicts a historically attested lion hunt involving Alexander the Great and one of his generals. The story goes that Krateros (right), a general and friend of Alexander the Great (left), saved his king from an attacking lion near the Granicus River in Anatolia (Turkey).

A circular or horse-shoe shaped braid consisting of flowers, leaves or branches, the wreath is one of the most enduring symbols in Mediterranean cultures. In ancient Greece, wreaths signified the ideals of good-conduct and key philosophical concepts, including: sovereignty, status, dignity, victory, perfection and eternity. They had a wide range of applications, from serving as popular decorative motifs ornamenting the interiors and exteriors of buildings, to their use in wedding ceremonies, sports festivals and funerary rituals.
Wreaths were made from various types of plants, each one possessing a symbolic association with a particular deity or myth: oak to Zeus; laurel to Apollo; herbs to Demeter; ivy and grapevine to Dionysos; myrtle to Aphrodite; palm to Theseus; and poplar to Herakles. Linked to Apollo (god of light, poetry and prophecy), wreaths made from the fragrant bay leaves of the laurel tree were awarded to victors of the Pythian Games. Winners of poetry contests were also crowned with laurel wreaths and were bestowed the honorary title of “laureate”, a term which continues to be used to this day.

Although it is commonly associated with imperial Roman culture, the practice of bathing was central to the social life of the ancient Greeks, especially Classical Athenians. The Greeks bathed in both cold and warm water, as well as in medicinal steam pools known as laconia.
Statue of Pandora Hellenistic or Roman (replica)
According to the poet Hesiod (7th Century BC), Zeus had Hephaistos (smith of the gods) create the first mortal woman Pandora (“All-giver”) as an act of spite against Prometheus for having stolen fire from the gods and giving it to humanity.
Venus bathing Hellenistic or Roman (replica)
Men and women bathed in separate sections of public baths. This arrangement was continued by the Romans in their monumental imperial baths. Venus’ close relationship with water is exemplified best in artworks depicting her birth. She was said to have been born in the waters near the island of Kythera.