Coin Portraying Emperor Antoninus Pius
149-150
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
Diam.: 2.9 cm (1 3/16 in.)
Classification
coin
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
62936
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front of this coin portrays Emperor Antoninus Pius wearing a crown of laurels. On the back, the god Zeus Ammon is shown wearing a chiton and himation; his raised left hand rests on a tall scepter while his extended right hand holds a patera. A ram is seen emerging from behind him.
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...