It is generally agreed that the throne was carved in the Greek East of the Byzantine Empire and shipped to Ravenna, but there has long been scholarly debate over whether it was made in Constantinople or Alexandria.

[7] The throne itself is large with a high semi-circular back and may have held a jewelled cross or Gospel book for some of the time.

He had not been wanted as archbishop by the people of Ravenna, but "by shrewd maneuvres he overcame their opposition, and won their respect by his discretion, generosity, and great enterprises of church building and decoration".

[10] He is shown, and named in a large titulus, in the famous mosaic in the Basilica of San Vitale of Justinian surrounded by his ministers and bodyguards (matched by a panel for the Empress).

[6] The gift was also for the dedication of San Vitale;[6] Justinian hired 6th-century Byzantine artists, who were summoned by the court to Constantinople from around the Empire, to create this piece.

[11] One argument advanced for an origin in Egypt is the local relevance of the story of Joseph, which is given such prominence, but Meyer Schapiro demonstrates an artistic and literary tradition using Joseph, who rose to be minister to his pharaoh, as a symbol for the role a bishop, which at this period typically involved a considerable role in civil government.

The throne is the largest single Late Antique work of art made of ivory, and derives attraction from its simple and proportionate lines along with its elaborate carvings.

[11] The size of the throne and clear stylistic variations between the panels suggest that it involved the work of several 6th century Byzantine artists.

[11] The Byzantine Church did not favor sculpture in the round, fearing that it would recall idols from Greek and Roman pagan religion.

[17] The ivory exterior of the throne is conceived as a series of framed panels, though the apparent structural roles of the sections does not entirely reflect their actual function.

[11] Many scenes carved on the Throne of Maximianus, such as the miracle of Christ and the history of Joseph, can also be found in a variety of other works, including mosaics and manuscripts.

The figures show a strong preference for contrapposto poses, "an inheritance from Greek art, but which here become a kind of mannerism".

[11] Scenes of the Life of Joseph, the choice of costumes, decoration and technique are consistently analogous to the Christian art of Egypt.