Drachm of Alexander the Great

Art Historical Context

This exquisite silver drachm, between 200 and 500 AD, immortalizes Alexander the Great in profile—a nod to the legendary conqueror's enduring fame long after his death in 323 BC. Measuring just 11/16 x 1/16 inches, this tiny Roman coin from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Medieval Art collection the precision of ancient numismatic artistry. Gifted by J. Pierpont Morgan in1917, it features Alexander's idealized portrait, likely evoking his divine aura as Zeus-Ammon or Heracles, a common motif on such issues produced by successor kingdoms and later Roman provinces. Historically, these drachms ...