Drachm (Coin) Depicting the Goddess Nike
216-203 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
9666
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front (obverse) of this coin depicts the goddess Nike facing to the right. On the back (reverse) is the god Pan, holding a spear and a staff, crowning himself. When the Romans conquered the Italian Peninsula, the Bruttii, the native occupants of the “toe” of Italy, were allowed to issue their own coins until 203 BCE when the Romans closed the mints. This is one of the last coins issued by the city. The image of the winged goddess Nike was a favorite of the Bruttii, but a profile face of Nik...
About the Artist
Ancient Greek
The artist known simply as "Ancient Greek" represents the anonymous masters of Attic vase painting, a cornerstone of Classical Greek art from the Archaic and Classical periods (circa 700–300 BCE). Little is known of their personal life, as ancient Greek potters and painters rarely signed their works or left biographical traces; early life and training remain not well documented. These creators ope...