Hemidrachm (Coin) Depicting the God Zeus Amarios
151-146 BCE
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Diam.: 1.6 cm (11/16 in.)
Classification
coin
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
142720
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front (obverse) of this coin depicts the head of Zeus Amarios, facing to the right. On the back (reverse) is a monogram symbol of the Achaean League within a laurel wreath. Zeus Amarios, along with Demeter Panachaia, were the protecting deities of the Achaean League, which was first formed in the fifth century BCE as a confederation of Greek city-states in the Peloponnese of Greece. Temples to both deities were situated side by side at Aegium, in the northwestern Peloponnese, where the main...
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...