Denarius (Coin) Depicting the Goddess Ceres
81 BCE
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Diam.: 1.9 cm (3/4 in.)
Classification
coin
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
141630
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front (obverse) of this coin depicts the goddess Ceres, facing right. She wears drop earings and a crown of wheat, with her hair rolled on the sides. On the back (reverse), two oxen face left while a figure standing behind them raises a whip to drive them forward.
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...