Tetradrachm (Coin) Portraying Emperor Antiochos VIII Grypos
104-96 BCE, reign of Antiochos VIII Grypos (121–96 BCE)
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Diam.: 3.1 cm (1 1/4 in.)
Classification
coin
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
4530
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front (obverse) of this coin portrays a diademed head of Antiochus VIII Grypos to the right. On the back (reverse), the god Zeus is depicted, enthroned with a sceptre and Nike with a wreath; a lightening bolt is above. Certainly the best-known face in antiquity was that of Alexander the Great (reigned 336–323 BCE), whose profile graced coins for two hundred years. He collected the treasure of conquered kingdoms as he swept across the Near East, and with this rich booty he set up mints that ...
About the Artist
Ancient Greek
The artist known simply as "Ancient Greek" represents the anonymous masters of Attic vase painting, a cornerstone of Classical Greek art from the Archaic and Classical periods (circa 700–300 BCE). Little is known of their personal life, as ancient Greek potters and painters rarely signed their works or left biographical traces; early life and training remain not well documented. These creators ope...