Marble statue of Eirene (the personification of peace)

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Eirene, daughter of Zeus and Themis, stood as one of three Horai (Seasons), maidens deeply connected to the earth's fertility and nurturing children. The original bronze monument was set up in Athens' Agora (marketplace) between 375-374 BC and 360-359 BC. An ancient landmark can rarely be dated with such precision. Literary sources confirm that Eirene's cult was introduced to Athens around 375/374, while six recently discovered Panathenaic amphorae dated to 360/359 showcase an image of the statue. The Greek traveler Pausanius saw the work in the Agora during the second century A.D. and reported it as a creation by the sculptor Kephisodotos. Eirene is depicted as a stunning young woman wearing a peplos and himation (cloak), holding a scepter in her right hand, and carrying Ploutos (the personification of wealth) and a cornucopia on her left arm. The figure evokes images of Demeter, the primary goddess of agricultural abundance and mother of Ploutos. A replica of a Greek bronze statue from 375/374-360/359 BC. By Kephisodotos