Denarius (Coin) Depicting the Goddess Minerva
100 BCE
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Diam.: 2 cm (13/16 in.)
Classification
coin
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
139855
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front of this coin depicts the goddess Minerva, facing left and wearing a Corinthian style helmet. On the back, the goddess Victory rides in a chariot. She holds a palm branch in her left hand, while the right reins in the rearing horses.
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...