Coin Portraying Emperor Claudius II Gothicus
268-269
Medium
Billon
Dimensions
Diam.: 2.3 cm (15/16 in.)
Classification
coin
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
101134
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front (obverse) of this coin portrays the bust of emperor Claudius II Gothicus. The back (reverse) depicts a bust of the god Hermanubis facing right, wearing a modius (headdress), with a winged caduceus, palm atop. The date this coin was struck is indicated in the reverse inscription " LB", which means the second year of Claudius's reign, or 268-269 CE. Claudius II Gothicus reigned from 268-270.
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...