Tetradrachm (Coin) Depicting the God Dionysos
mid–2nd century BCE
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Diam.: 3.4 cm (1 3/8 in.)
Classification
coin
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
36623
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front (obverse) of this coin depicts the god Dionysos crowned with ivy leaves, one of the attributes (along with the grapes he holds on the coin's back) which identifies him as the god of wine. He is believed to have come from Thrace, where this coin was minted. Many cities claimed to be the birthplace of Dionysos. One was Maroneia, on the coast of Thrace, which was said to be named after Dionysos’s son Maron. Dionysos was the city’s protective deity and appeared on its coinage crowned with...
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...