Art Institute of Chicago

Denarius (Coin) Portraying Emperor Septimius Severus

Roman, minted in Rome

Date

197

Medium

Silver

Culture

Roman Empire

Department

Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

The front (obverse) of this coin portrays the head of Emperor Septimius Severus, facing to the right. On the back (reverse), the legendary hero Hercules can be identified by his attributes, the knobby club that he leans on and the lion’s skin over his left shoulder. He also holds a bow in his left hand. Herakles was the consummate hero. Temples across Greece and South Italy were dedicated to him, the son of Zeus, and Romans, who knew him as Hercules, celebrated him as a role model. With brute force, determination, and just enough cleverness, Herakles completed his famous Twelve Labors to become immortal. Herakles is readily identifiable by his knobby club and lion’s skin. The latter refers to his First Labor, in which he killed a magical beast who was ravaging the town of Nemea. The lion’s invincible hide made him immune to weapons, so Herakles strangled him and took his pelt. Depictions of Herakles’s other Labors can be seen throughout the galleries.

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