Antoninianus (Coin) Portraying Empress Marcia Otacilia Severa
248, issued by Emperor Philip the Arab
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Diam.: 2.3 cm (15/16 in.)
Classification
coin
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
5709
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front (obverse) of this coin portrays a bust of Otacilia Severa diademed and facing to the right. The back (reverse) depicts a hippopotomus to the right. This coin was issued to commemorate the Roman Millennium. The lavish birthday celebration featured one thousand gladiators who fought to the death and thousands of exotic animals like this hippopotamus, native to Egypt. Supplying the Romans with African animals for the games was a flourishing business.
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...