Denarius (Coin) Depicting the Goddess Roma
104 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
141584
Art Historical Context
This silver denarius, minted in 104 BCE during the Roman Republic, proudly features the goddess Roma on its obverse—a helmeted figure embodying the spirit and might of Rome. With a modest diameter of just 2, this coin was a everyday medium of exchange, yet it served as powerful propaganda, circulating across the empire to affirm Roman dominance amid expanding conquests and internal politics. As a hallmark of Republican coinage, the denarius represented economic stability and military pay, struck with intricate dies that produced high-relief portraits rivaling fine sculpture. Roma's depiction,...
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...