Tetradrachm (Coin) Portraying Emperor Claudius II Gothicus
268-269
Medium
Billon
Dimensions
Diam.: 2.1 cm (7/8 in.)
Classification
coin
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
133564
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front (obverse) of this coin portrays the bust of emperor Claudius II Gothicus. The back (reverse) depicts a bust of the god Hermanubis facing right, wearing a modius (headdress), with a winged caduceus, palm atop. The date this coin was struck is indicated in the reverse inscription " LB", which means the second year of Claudius's reign, or 268-269 CE. Claudius II Gothicus reigned from 268-270. One interesting feature of this particular coin is that the back side appears to have been struc...
About the Artist
Ancient Egyptian
Ancient Egyptian artists, a collective of highly skilled artisans spanning over three millennia from the Predynastic period (c. 6000–3150 BC) to the Roman era (30 BC–4th century AD), produced some of humanity's most enduring masterpieces. These anonymous craftsmen, often organized in state-sponsored workshops, lived in dedicated communities like Deir el-Medina near Luxor during the New Kingdom (c....