The Croatian Apoxyomenos has enriched the cultural heritage of Croatia and is at the same time one of the most significant of all archaeological finds. After two thousand years on the sea bed, the sculpture has been brought into the light of day, thanks to the fortuitous find of the Belgian diver, Rene' Wouters. The Apoxyomenos is the athlete who cleans the instrument used to remove sweat and dirt from the body after a contest. It is an act of taking care of an everyday object, but at the same time a moment of concentration after the competition. The subject it depicts, the circumstances (and the place) in which it was found, the delicate restoration process and, finally, its exhibition in Palazzo Medici Riccardi in Florence all suggest that the bronze statue really can represent an appeal to a healthy happiness consisting of a few fundamental elements, which contemporary reality invites us to rediscover and which represent the key values of a Mediterranean classical culture. Available also in Italian language.