Denarius (Coin) Depicting the Goddess Roma
Ancient Roman
-189–-180
- Medium
- Silver
- Dimensions
- Diam.: 1.9 cm (3/4 in.)
- Genre
- coin
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago
Tags
silvercoininorganic materialancient artnonferrous metalgoddessesancientroman (ancient, style or period)metal
About
The front (obverse) of this coin depicts the goddess Roma, facing right and wearing a winged helmet.On the back (reverse), the mythical twins Castor and Pollux, better known as the Dioscuri, are depicted on horseback galloping right. The denarius, introduced in 211 BCE, was the principal silver coin of Rome for five hundred years. The profilehead of the goddess Roma—the personification of Rome—was the most popular image depicted on silver denarii in the second and first centuries BCE.
