Denarius (Coin) Portraying Emperor Gaius (Caligula)
37-38
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Diam.: 1.9 cm (3/4 in.)
Classification
coin
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
5606
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front of this coin portrays the Roman Emperor Gaius (Caligula), facing to the right. An inscription that begins in the lower right edge and moves around the outward edge of the coin reads: C.CAESAR.AVG.GERM.P.M.TR.POT. The back of this coins portrays the head of Germanicus, facing to the right. An inscription that begins in the lower right edge and moves around the outward edge of the coin reads: GERMANICVS.CAES.P.C.CAES.AVG.GERM.
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...