Denarius (Coin) Depicting the Goddess Roma
about 136 BCE
Medium
SIlver
Dimensions
Diam.: 2 cm (13/16 in.)
Classification
coin
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
141582
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front (obverse) of this coin depicts the head of Roma facing right witha winged helmet. The back (reverse) depicts the god Jupiter standing in a quadriga (four-horse chariot) galloping to the right, holding a sceptre and launching a thunderbolt. The denarius, introduced in 211 BCE, was the principal silver coin of Rome for five hundred years. The profile head of the goddess Roma—the personification of Rome—was the most popular image depicted on silver denarii in the second and first centur...
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...