Among all the treasures left behind by the Byzantine Empire, the Throne of Maximian stands out as a striking symbol of raw power and political theater. It is the Byzantines’ claim to Roman identity distilled into a single object. This treasure is not a manuscript or a grand building. Rather, it is an ivory chair.
This elaborate throne (kathedra in Greek and ecclesiastical terms) is a masterclass in Byzantine craftsmanship and propaganda, created at a time when art itself was one of the most powerful tools in an emperor’s arsenal. Now preserved in Ravenna’s Archepiscopal Museum, this high-backed 6th-century throne radiates authority and ambition.
Despite being called the Throne of Maximian, it dates from the reign of Emperor Justinian I and reflects the Byzantine effort to assert influence and authority across his fractured empire. You might assume it is just another piece of ornate Church furniture from the Middle Ages—but nothing could be further from the truth.
The fascinating story of the Throne of Maximian
To get to the heart of the story of the Throne of Maximian, one must understand the men behind it. When Maximianus was appointed Archbishop of Ravenna in 546 AD, he wasn’t exactly welcomed with open arms by the local Christian community. The people of Ravenna saw him as an outsider, a “poor deacon from Pola” who had managed to rise to one of the most powerful positions in Italy through sheer political nepotism and the obvious backing of the emperor.
Justinian I needed a man he could trust in Ravenna, as this wasn’t like any other city. It was the epicenter of Byzantine Italy, recently recaptured from the Goths. This made Ravenna the strategic key to controlling most of the Italian peninsula, something the Byzantines wanted badly, as they saw themselves as the authentic continuation of Rome’s might.
However, as the locals pushed back against his chosen man, Justinian did what any powerful Byzantine ruler would do if he wished to avoid open conflict: he sent an outrageously lavish gift to the people of Ravenna. The throne he commissioned was more than furniture—it was a clear statement from Constantinople, a symbol of imperial authority in the heart of Italy.
Through this spectacular display of imperial favor, Justinian sought to silence dissent and cement Maximianus’s position, signaling that the archbishop was the unshakeable choice of the emperor himself. Therefore, the Throne of Maximian became a part of Constantinople’s masterful game of extravagant influence, designed to show Ravenna exactly who held power in the Mediterranean world.
An unsolved mystery from the Greek East
For all its political clarity and extraordinary luxury, the throne also holds a fascinating artistic secret: nobody knows for sure where it was made, despite being such an open display of power politics. Scholars agree it came from the Greek-speaking East, but the trail splits between two great cities.
Was it Constantinople, the imperial capital and home to the emperor’s master craftsmen—or Alexandria, the vibrant Egyptian metropolis famous for its incredible ivory work? The carvings themselves offer conflicting clues, making it even more difficult to discover who created this masterpiece.
The elegant scrolling vines and the sheer quality of the ivory strongly suggest Constantinople. Yet other details, such as a panel showing the Virgin Mary lying on a mattress—a distinctly Eastern, almost Coptic, tradition—point firmly toward an Alexandrian workshop distinct from Constantinople’s Greek Orthodox tradition. This places the Throne of Maximian at the crossroads of the Byzantine world, where artistic styles from Europe, Africa, and the Middle East merged in a masterpiece of creative genius.
The Throne of Maximian did more than sit in a museum—it turned a contested and unpopular bishop into a visible emblem of imperial authority, a living representative of Justinian’s rule in Italy, bolstering Byzantine control in a region still reeling from war and political turmoil. As a triumph of Byzantine soft power, the throne gradually swayed public opinion, not with armies or weapons but through its commanding symbolism.
How the Throne of Maximian relates to modern politics
Politics may have since fundamentally changed in style but not in essence. The story of Maximian’s throne feels surprisingly modern—a masterclass in “soft power” with a timeless strength. It demonstrates that the use of culture and art to achieve political goals is nothing new. Long before nations built cultural centers or sponsored international exhibitions, Emperor Justinian understood that a single breathtaking object could assert his authority far more effectively than a garrison of soldiers or open force.
He never once set foot in Ravenna, but this throne was his way of telling the people of Ravenna that they were exceptional among the cities of Italy. It became a permanent symbol of his divine right to rule and his power to elevate cities to higher ranks of importance within the empire.
Looking at the throne today, one can almost feel the weight of that history. The Throne of Maximian forces us to question the beautiful objects we see in museums and galleries, to look below the surface and ask: what was this really for, and what message was it meant to convey? The answer is complex, but it also reminds us that the essence of politics—and the power of symbols—remains as potent now as it was fifteen centuries ago.
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