Antoninianus (Coin) Portraying Empress Marcia Otacilia Severa
248, issued by Emperor Philip the Arab
- Medium
- Silver
- Classification
- Coin
- Dimensions
- Diam.: 2.3 cm (15/16 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
- Teens profiles and older: its subject is for older viewers (war, death, the Passion, drink or the like). How works are placed
View at the Art Institute of Chicago
About this work
The front (obverse) of this coin portrays a bust of Otacilia Severa diademed and facing to the right. The back (reverse) depicts a hippopotomus to the right.
This coin was issued to commemorate the Roman Millennium. The lavish birthday celebration featured one thousand gladiators who fought to the death and thousands of exotic animals like this hippopotamus, native to Egypt. Supplying the Romans with African animals for the games was a flourishing business.
Description © Art Institute of Chicago, CC BY 4.0
