Denarius (Coin) Depicting the Mask of Pan
48 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
9987
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front (obverse) of this coin depicts the mask of the god Pan, facing right. On the back (reverse), the god Jupiter Axur is shown facing left. During the first century BCE, powerful Roman families issued their own coinage, which often bore a personal icon. In this case the moneyer, a member of the Pansa family, used a mask of Pan in reference to the family’s name.
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...