Tetradrachm (Coin) Depicting Tyche
95-94 BCE
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Diam.: 3 cm (1 3/16 in.)
Classification
coin
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
142985
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front (obverse) of this coin depicts Tyche, facing to the right. The back (reverse) depicts Nike holding a palm branch. In antiquity, the goddess Tyche symbolized cities. Her identifying feature is a crown shaped like the walls of a city. Some cities chose Tyche as their emblem, but often they also selected another divinity as their particular patron and protector.
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...