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Aureus (Coin) Portraying Emperor Caracalla

A work made of gold.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of gold.

Date:

204 (January-April), issued by Septimius Severus

Artist:

Roman, minted in Rome

About this artwork

The front (obverse) of this coin portrays the profile head of Emperor Caracalla facing right, laureate, and wearing a cuirass(body armor) and paludamentum (military cloak). The back (reverse) shows the deity Victory, partly draped, advancing left, and holding a wreath and palm.

This coin showing the 16 year old prince was issued by his father, Emperor Septimius Severus. The inscription details the honor (Pontifex - “priest”) and powers (Tribunitian) that the emperor had granted to his son six years earlier. The reverse image shows a winged Victory offering a wreath and palm frond to celebrate the emperor’s “Great Parthian Victory”, spelled out in the inscription.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Arts of the Ancient Mediterranean and Byzantium

Culture

Ancient Roman

Title

Aureus (Coin) Portraying Emperor Caracalla

Place

Rome (Minted in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

204 CE

Medium

Gold

Inscriptions

Obverse: ANTON.P.AVG PON TR P VII "Antoninus Pius Augustus, Pontif, holding Tribunican Power for Seventh Time" Reverse: VICT PART.MAX "Great Parthian Victory"

Dimensions

Diam.: 2.1 cm (7/8 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Martin A. Ryerson

Reference Number

1922.4884

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/5667/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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