Sestertius (Coin) Portraying Emperor Antoninus Pius
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
Diam.: 3 cm (1 3/16 in.)
Classification
coin
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
141713
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front (obverse) of this coin portrays the emperor Antoninus Pius, facing right and wearing a crown of laurels. On the back (reverse) Hygieia, the divine personification of health, is depicted standing. She faces left, with her right hand she feeds a serpent which is depicted on top of an altar. In her left hand she holds a rudder which is placed on top of a globe.
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...