Aureus (Coin) Portraying Emperor Antoninus Pius (138): Artwork and History

Aureus (Coin) Portraying Emperor Antoninus Pius (138) is in the Art Institute of Chicago collection. The museum lists its creator attribution as Roman; minted in Rome.

The work and its context

The Art Institute of Chicago describes the work:

Starting in 96 with the reign of Emperor Nerva, Rome was ruled by five wise leaders who came to be known as the “Good Emperors.” Nerva (reigned 96–98) was an honest and respected senator who enacted compassionate social programs. His rule ushered in a period of peace and prosperity, which is suggested by the sheer abundance of coins produced during this era as well as by the skill and artistry of the images created. Coins of this period, especially gold aurei like this one, were often perfectly round, well struck, and centered. Antoninus Pius (reigned 138–61), continued the wise and caring example of Nerva which is reflected in his nickname, Pius, meaning “pious.” Able to maintain peace through the strength of the Army, Rome was strong and prosperous under Antoninus’s firm rule.

Object facts

• Title: Aureus (Coin) Portraying Emperor Antoninus Pius
• Date: 138
• Artist attribution: Roman; minted in Rome
• Place of origin: Roman Empire
• Medium: Gold
• Dimensions: Diam.: 1.9 cm (3/4 in.)
• Type: Coin
• Department: Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
• Reference number: 1923.1271

Collection credit

Gift of Mrs. William Nelson Pelouze

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The description above is credited to the Art Institute of Chicago and reused under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0; HTML formatting has been converted to plain text. Other catalogue metadata and the public-domain image are provided under CC0 1.0.