Tetradrachm (Coin) Depicting the Hero Herakles with the Features of Alexander the Great
336-323 BCE
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Diam.: 3.1 cm (1 1/4 in.)
Classification
coin
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
9699
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front (obverse) of this coin portrays Alexander the great wearing Herakles' signature lion skin cloak, facing right. On the back (reverse) the god Zeus is shown seated, facing left, with a scepter and an eagle. An anchor countermark appears within an incuse rectangle.
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...