Denarius (Coin) Portraying Mark Antony
42 BCE, issued by C. Vibius Varus
- Medium
- Silver
- Classification
- Coin
- Dimensions
- Diam.: 1.9 cm (3/4 in.)
- Culture
- Rome
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago, Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
- Credit line
- Gift of Martin A. Ryerson
- Rights
- Public domain (CC0), as the museum states it.
- Who can see it
- Tweens profiles and older: its subjects are known and suit older children. How works are placed
View at the Art Institute of Chicago
About this work
The front (obverse) of this coin portrays the head of Mark Antony facing right. On the back (reverse) Fortuna stands to the left, holding a Victory who crowns her in her right hand, and a cornucopia in left.
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. It was not until 44 BC that the portrait of a living person—Julius Caesar appeared on coins. Thereafter, profile portraits of rulers or other members of the imperial family became the standard subject on coins throughout the Roman Empire.
Inscriptions on coins help identify the ruler. While the front side depicted the sovereign’s portrait, the back was often used to communicate the ruler’s accomplishments or aspirations. Until Late Antiquity, portraits usually appeared in profile. The tiny images were carved by engravers into bronze dies, with one for the front and another for the back. The coins were then…
Description © Art Institute of Chicago, CC BY 4.0
