Sestertius (Coin) Portraying Julia Mamaea
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
141725
Art Historical Context
This bronze sestertius, struck in 224 CE during the height of the Severan dynasty, features a portrait of Julia Mamaea the influential mother of Emperor Severus Alexander With a diameter of just 2.9 cm, this Ancient Roman coin exemplifies the empire's mastery of miniature portraiture, where the obverse likely shows Mamaea's draped bust—adorned with imperial regalia—to symbolize her status as Augusta, a title denoting her power behind the throne. Roman sestertii were large-denomination coins valued at a quarter of a denarius, widely circulated for everyday transactions and propaganda. Minted u...
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...