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Secondary sourceSculpture2nd century BCE

The Youth of Agde

2nd century BCE

A bronze statue of a young man recovered from a riverbed, often identified as a youthful Alexander the Great, though the identification is uncertain.

A disputed sculptural identification sometimes claimed to depict the young Alexander the Great.

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Photograph of a bronze statue of a nude young man against a black background. The figure stands with weight on one leg, head turned slightly, with curly hair and hollow eyes. One arm is broken off at the upper part, the other is bent with the hand raised near the chest. Dark green-brown patina with lighter highlights.
The Youth of Agde, 2nd century BCE. Musée de l'Éphèbe, Agde.

About this source

What it is

This bronze statue of a nude young man was discovered in 1964 on the bed of the Herault river in France, probably from an ancient shipwreck. It stands 1.33 meters tall, dates to the 2nd century BCE, and is now displayed at the Musée de l'Éphèbe in Agde.

Why it matters

The statue's features resemble the famous Doryphoros by Lysippos, suggesting its maker trained in that tradition. It is often identified as a young Alexander, but this is disputed, making it a good example of how uncertain many ancient portrait identifications really are.

Look closer

  • What evidence would you need to be sure this statue really represents Alexander?
  • How does the statue's damaged, corroded surface affect what we can learn from it?
  • Why do scholars compare its style to a known sculptor's work when trying to identify it?

This sculpture is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Alexander the Great on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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