Art Institute of Chicago

Denarius (Coin) Depicting the Goddess Roma

Roman

Date

about 100 BCE

Medium

Silver

Culture

Roman Empire

Department

Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

The front (obverse) of this coin depicts the head of the goddess Roma wearing a winged helmet surmounted by eagles and facing to the right. On the back (reverse), two warriors with shields and swords are shown fighting on foot with horses behind them. Portraits of important people appear on local currency all around the world. The same was true in ancient Rome, which began producing its first coinage in the late 4th century BCE. Early coins depicted the heads of gods and goddesses on the front side, often in profile, while the back depicted animals, natural resources, symbols, and references to historical events. The denarius, introduced in 211 BCE, was the principal silver coin of Rome for five hundred years. The profile head of the goddess Roma—the personification of Rome—was the most popular image depicted on silver denarii in the second and first centuries BCE.

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