The charioteer is a one-of-a-kind statue. It was intentionally buried in ancient times in order to be saved from the Roman emperor Nero, who had invaded the area. It was found during excavations which took place in the 19th century. The charioteer is a prime example of classical art. It portrays an athlete in motion. This detail can be spotted from the upturned clothing of the athlete. The face of the figure has all the characteristic elements of classical art, as serious with the harmonious expression. Bronze was the most commonly used material for sculpture. Many believed that it was marble, but no, it was bronze. It is easier to work with bronze. It is lighter so it can be carried easily, and it is softer so it can be carved more easily and more quickly. There are not a lot of bronze statues that have survived up to this day for two main reasons. When invasions occurred, these were typically the first items that would be looted due to their value as precious material. Furthermore, during hard times, they could melt the statues if they wanted to reuse the bronze. For example, many statues of the Peloponnesian War were turned into armor and weapons. In total, there are about 15 bronze statues from the classical period, and the charioteer is one of the best.