Coin Portraying Emperor Otho
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
Diam.: 3.5 cm (1 7/16 in.)
Classification
coin
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
10096
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front of this coin portrays the emperor Otho, facing right. On the back, Otho is shown making offerings at an altar. Roman emperor Nero killed himself in 68, bringing an end to his chaotic reign. What followed was an equally chaotic struggle over who would succeed him. The year 69 saw one general after another rule and die in quick succession: Galba (reigned June 68–Jan. 69), Otho (reigned Jan.–Apr. 69), Vitellius (reigned Apr.–Dec. 69), and finally Vespasian (reigned 69–79), who founded t...
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...