The Antique marble Laocoon group, currently housed in the Musei Vaticani, Rome was discovered on 14 January 1506. It was the work of Hagesandrus, Polidorus and Athenodorous of Rhodes, sculpted in 25BC. It was removed to Rome in A.D. 69 by the emperor Titus.

From Its discovery it has been regarded, along with the Apollo, as the most remarkable of all Antique sculpture.

In post Homeric epic, Laocoon was a Trojan prince and priest of Apollo who tried to stop the Trjans from opening their gates to the wooden horse. He was killed, with his two sons by serpents who came from the sea, sent by either Apollo or Athene as Patron of the Greeks.