an inscription on the limestone base of the statue shows that it was dedicated by polyzalus, the tyrant of gela, a greek colony in sicily, as a tribute to apollo for helping him win the chariot race. the inscription reads: <nowiki>[p]oluzalos ma nethêk[en] ...]on aes euonum apoll[on]</nowiki>, which is reconstructed to read "polyzalus dedicated me. ... make him prosper, honoured apollo."