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| Bust Weight of Aelia Eudocia Augusta ?, First Half of 5th century (Istanbul Archaeology Museum) |
There is a small display case in the Istanbul Archaeology Museum that holds some very intriguing objects. They are Empress Bust Weights that were used in the marketplace to weigh everyday commodities. One of the figures thought to be Eudocia, wife of Theodosius II, wears a diadem and a necklace which help to identify her as an Augusta and a garment that tightly covers her shoulders. While she holds a scroll in one hand and with the other makes the gesture of speech. The gesture of speech normally reserved for Christ, Church figures and imperial officials and sometimes muses, refers to the empresses well-educated status. The scroll and the wrapped garment also recall the standard gesture of orators and philosophers. With her iconography referring to her learnedness, her imperial diadem claiming her to be an augusta her wide-open eyes suggesting both piety and watchfulness,this fifth century bust weight of Eudocia would have ensured "the fairness of commercial transactions" in the marketplace. 1