Aureus (Coin) Portraying Emperor Tiberius
14-37
Medium
Gold
Dimensions
Diam.: 2 cm (13/16 in.)
Classification
coin
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
9995
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Livia, the wife of Emperor Augustus (Octavian) and the mother of Tiberius, was not portrayed or named on any coins minted by her husband or by her son, though she is thought to appear here in the role of Pax ("Peace"). Soon, however, the women of the imperial families would become as prominent on coinage as they were in the imperial court.
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...