The statue represents a provincial governor called Oikoumenios, of the later fourth or early fifth century AD, identified by the inscribed base. The governor wears soft boots and a long cloak (chlamys) over a long-sleeved tunic. The military cloak was pinned at the shoulder with a broach (now missing), and was worn by members of the civil administration when on duty away from the capital.

The poem inscribed on the statue’s base tells us that Oikoumenios was a lawyer, bilingual in Greek and Latin, and incorruptible (‘pure in hand, pure in mind’). He holds a scroll in his right hand and is animated by the turn of the head and a slight smile in his plump, bearded face. He wears a fashionable hairstyle of the period, brushed forward into a wreath of locks around the face. Three letters – XMG – inscribed neatly on top of the head were a common abbreviation of the phrase ‘Christ was born to Mary’ and probably indicate that the sculptor was a Christian.

Found at: Agora