Tetradrachm (Coin) Portraying Emperor Nero
67-68
Medium
Billon
Dimensions
Diam.: 2.4 cm (1 in.)
Classification
coin
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
142281
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front (obverse) of this coin portrays a bust of Emperor Nero, facing left, wearing a cuirass (military cloak). The date this coin was struck is indicated in the inscription " LI ∆ " (only the last letter is visible in this example), which means the fourteenth year of Nero's reign, or 67-68 CE. Nero reigned as emperor from 54-68 CE. The back (reverse) depicts the bust of the god Apollo of Actium, facing right, a quiver on his shoulder, and a star before. Nero's fondness of music and the arts...
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...