Tetradrachm (Coin) Depicting the Hero Herakles with the Features of Alexander the Great
336-323 BCE
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Diam.: 2.9 cm (1 3/16 in.)
Classification
coin
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
78579
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front (obverse) of this coin portrays the head of Alexander the Great wearing a lion skin. The back (reverse) depicts the god Zeus seated to the left with an eagle in his right hand and staff in left. A monogram and the inscription ΑΛΑΞΑΝΔPOY also appear.
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...