Marble inscribed statue base

The marble base was originally set up in the city theater. The base bears the inscription "Πολυκλή Λυσάνδρου νικήσαντα [- - -] Ολύμπια, Λύκαια, ο δάμος ανέ [θηκεν] ", in honor of Polyklis Lysandrou, an olympic athlete, who had won at Olympia and Lycaea.

Lycaea and especially Olympia were two important sporting events of the ancient Greek world, which took place one in ancient Olympia, the birthplace of the Ancient Olympic Games, and the other on Mount Lykaion in Arcadia.

The inscribed base indicates the importance of athletics in the society of ancient Messene and generally in the society of the ancient Greek World.