The statue of the Discobolus represents an athlete in the position suitable for throwing the discus. The sculpture is a Roman copy of the famous Greek bronze work by Myron from the 5th century BC. The Romans, who admired Greek statuary, had copies made in marble to adorn their villas and gardens. This is the case of the Lancellotti discobolus, which was found in the area of the Horti Lamiani, owned by the Empire from the first century AD.
It was found during excavations in 1781, near Villa Palombara, on the Esquiline Hill, in the area where Palazzo Massimo now stands. It was owned by the Massimo family, later Lancellotti. It was sold by the Lancellottis to Hitler in 1938 and returned to Italy after the Second World War to join the collections of the National Roman Museum.