Denarius (Coin) Portraying Emperor Trajan (October 103-October 111, probably 106-107, issued by Trajan): Artwork and History

Denarius (Coin) Portraying Emperor Trajan (October 103-October 111, probably 106-107, issued by Trajan) 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:

The purpose of the first portrait coins was to identify the ruler. The front side became a mirror of the sovereign’s self-image. The back was often used to communicate the ruler’s accomplishments or intentions. The profile portrait was used because it suited the very shallow depth and limited surface of the coin. The tiny images were carved by engravers into bronze dies, one for the front and another for the back. The coins were then struck, one by one, in a process similar to how modern coins are created today. Portraits Celebrate Coins were an excellent way for leaders to advertise their victories whether in battle or at the Olympic Games. Emperor Trajan’s (r. A.D. 98–117) conquest of the kingdom of Dacia is symbolized by the defeated figure crouching before Trajan’s victory trophy.

Object facts

• Title: Denarius (Coin) Portraying Emperor Trajan
• Date: October 103-October 111, probably 106-107, issued by Trajan
• Artist attribution: Roman, minted in Rome
• Place of origin: Roman Empire
• Medium: Silver
• Dimensions: Diam.: 1.8 cm (3/4 in.)
• Type: Coin
• Department: Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
• Reference number: 1923.1275

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.