Didrachm (Coin) Depicting the God Janus
225-214 BCE
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Diam.: 2.3 cm (15/16 in.)
Classification
coin
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
6785
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front of this coin depicts a youthful Janiform head enclosed in border of dots. On the back the god Jupiter is shown driving a four-horse chariot called a quadriga, while holding a thunderbolt and a sceptre.
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...