Antoninianus (Coin) Portraying Emperor Diocletian

Art Historical Context

This small yet mighty Antoninianus coin, struck around 285 CE during the early reign of Emperor Diocian, captures the essence of late Roman imperial power. Made of billon—a debased alloy of bronze with traces of silver—the 2.4 cm diameter features Diocletian on the obverse, likely adorned with a radiate crown, a hallmark of the Antoninianus denomination introduced earlier in the third century. Reveres typically depicted deities like Jupiter or Victory, symbolizing divine favor and military triumph. Diocletian (r. 284–305 CE) ascended amid the Crisis of the Third Century, a chaotic era of inva...

About the Artist

Ancient Roman

The artists attributed to "Ancient Roman" in museum collections represent the anonymous craftsmen who produced the vast output of sculpture, frescoes, mosaics, and reliefs defining Roman visual culture from the Republic (c. 509–27 BCE) to the late Empire (c. 395 CE). Individual identities remain elusive, as Roman makers were typically viewed as skilled tradesmen—often enslaved Greeks or provincial...