Denarius (Coin) Depicting the Goddess Roma
139 BCE, issued by the Aurelia family
Silver
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Not currently on view
In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026
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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG
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. The front (obverse) of this coin depicts the helmeted head of the goddess Roma, facing to the right. On the back (reverse), two centaurs (half-man, half-horse) pull the hero Hercules in a chariot.
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