Coin Portraying Emperor Diocletian
284-305
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
10220
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
On the front (obverse) of this coin, the emperor Diocletian is shown facing right and wearing a crown of laurels. On the back (reverse), the figure of a genius stands facing left, holding a patera and a cornucopia.
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...