The Athenian discovery of the human body and its roles in images from the 8th and 7th centuries BCE furnishes a central discursive perspective for understanding Athenian society. This work begins by analysing the themes portrayed in Athenian imagery, considering the reciprocal influences between body images and social roles. It then goes on to contextualize body images - for example, in terms of the agency of images and their portrayal. On this foundation, changing body images and roles are distilled into a cultural history of early Athenian society.