Denarius (Coin) Portraying King Aretas
58 BCE
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
141579
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front (obverse) of this coin portrays the Nabataean king Aretas kneeling in front of a camel, holding an olive branch in his raised right hand. On the back (reverse), the god Jupiter is depicted in a chariot, launching a thunderbolt. Under the hooves of his horses a scorpion is shown.
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...