This statue is of particular importance because the head and the body of the statue are from different periods. The head, dating from the 2nd century AD, has been recarved in a style suitable to 3rd century taste with the emperor being given a new image. The 3rd century carvers made changes to the hair, which is like a wig, as well as changes to the beard, mustache, pupils and carved wrinkles on the forehead.

Trajan, whose statues are portrayed beardless in the 2nd century, is portrayed with a beard and mustache on this 3rd century statue. Making changes to an old portrait was not usual in previous periods but it became more common towards the end of the 3rd century. This method of re-using old portraits combined with newly carved materiel was often used during the rearrangement and decoration of the stage-building of the theatre at the end of the 3rd century.