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Sestertius of Commodus

Coin (Sestertius)
184 AD (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is a sestertius of Commodus, a large brass coin depicting Commodus, who was Roman Emperor from 180-192 AD.
The brass sestertius valued a quarter of a denarius. It typically weighs in the region of 25 to 28 grammes, is around 32-34 mm in diameter and ca. 4mm thick. The denarius was a small silver coin and the principal silver coin issued in the ancient Roman currency system from the late 3rd century BC until the early 3rd century AD.

The use of the portrait is the most persistent and usually the most striking feature of coins of the Roman Empire. Particularly during the first three centuries of the Empire's existence (27 BC-AD 284) images of historically recorded (and some unrecorded) people appear on the majority of coins.
Roman coins acted as a vehicle for the quick and wide-reaching spread of propagandic images of Imperial power, at the centre of which was the embodiment of Rome and all that its Empire stood for, the Emperor himself. Roman coins survive in very large numbers and are frequently found right across Europe, reaching the furthest corners of the Empire.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleSestertius of Commodus (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Brass
Brief description
Coin (sestertius), brass, head of Commodus / Victory, Roman, 184 AD
Physical description
This coin depicts on obverse: Inscription. Head of Commodus, laureate to right. Border with dots.
Reverse: Inscription. Victory, naked to waist, seated on two shields, holding in right a shield, in left a palm branch. Border of dots.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 3.30cm
  • Weight: 20.14g
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'M COMMODVS A[NT] ON AVG PIVS B[R]IT' (obverse)
  • '[P] [M] TR P X IMP VII COS IIII [P] [P] [around] [V]ICT BRI[T] [in exergue] S C [in field]' (reverse)
Object history
From the Salting bequest.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This is a sestertius of Commodus, a large brass coin depicting Commodus, who was Roman Emperor from 180-192 AD.
The brass sestertius valued a quarter of a denarius. It typically weighs in the region of 25 to 28 grammes, is around 32-34 mm in diameter and ca. 4mm thick. The denarius was a small silver coin and the principal silver coin issued in the ancient Roman currency system from the late 3rd century BC until the early 3rd century AD.

The use of the portrait is the most persistent and usually the most striking feature of coins of the Roman Empire. Particularly during the first three centuries of the Empire's existence (27 BC-AD 284) images of historically recorded (and some unrecorded) people appear on the majority of coins.
Roman coins acted as a vehicle for the quick and wide-reaching spread of propagandic images of Imperial power, at the centre of which was the embodiment of Rome and all that its Empire stood for, the Emperor himself. Roman coins survive in very large numbers and are frequently found right across Europe, reaching the furthest corners of the Empire.
Bibliographic reference
'Salting Bequest (A. 70 to A. 1029-1910) / Murray Bequest (A. 1030 to A. 1096-1910)'. In: List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum (Department of Architecture and Sculpture). London: Printed under the Authority of his Majesty's Stationery Office, by Eyre and Spottiswoode, Limited, East Harding Street, EC, p. 118
Collection
Accession number
A.718-1910

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
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