Tetradrachm (Coin) Portraying Emperor Nero
65-66
Medium
Billon
Dimensions
Diam.: 2.3 cm (15/16 in.)
Classification
coin
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
142277
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front (obverse) of this coin portrays Emperor Nero, facing right, radiate. The date this coin was struck is indicated in the inscription " LIB ", which means the twelfth year of his reign, or 65-66 CE. Nero reigned as emperor from 54-68 CE. The back (reverse) depicts a bust of Alexandria, facing right, wearing an elephant's scalp as a headress.
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...