Aureus (Coin) Portraying Emperor Trajan
114-115, issued by Trajan
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
5632
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Obverse: Bust of Trajan right, laureate, wearing cuirass and paludamentum Reverse: Trajan, seated on sella castrensis on raised dais, hand resting on parazonium, with two officers standing behind him, establishes three client kings dressed in trousers The Roman Empire, which flourished from 27 B.C. to A.D. 410, was ruled by a variety of emperors, some who inherited the throne and some who seized it. As rulers came and went, it was important to announce the transition of power quickly. Since th...
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...