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medallion
Object Type
medallion
Museum number
1853,0512.237
Description
Copper alloy medallion.
(whole)
Bust of Commodus, laureate and wearing lion's skin around shoulders, right.
(obverse)
Emperor standing left, wearing pontifical robes and holding patera with right hand over lighted altar; to the left of the altar stands Hercules, right, leaning left hand on club resting on rock, with lion's skin over left arm.
(reverse)
State
Associated with:
Roman Empire
Ancient Greece and Rome: Roman Empire
Authority
Ruler:
Commodus
Cultures/periods
Roman Imperial
Production date
192
Production place
Minted in:
Rome (city)
Materials
copper alloy
Dimensions
Die-axis:
12 o'clock
Diameter:
40.50 millimetres
Weight:
75.427 grammes
$Inscriptions
Bibliographic references
BMCRM / Roman Medallions in the British Museum
(34, p.28)
Gnecchi 1912 Vol. II / I Medaglioni Romani: Volume Secondo: Bronzo
(114, p.64)
Location
Not on display
Exhibition history
Exhibited: 2016-17, 13 Oct - 7 May, BM, G69a Defacing the past: desecration and damnation in imperial Rome
Subjects
emperor/empress
classical deity
mythical figure/creature
Associated names
Named in inscription & portrayed:
Commodus
Representation of:
Herakles/Hercules
Acquisition name
Purchased from:
Pierre-Justin Sabatier
Purchased through:
Sotheby's
Purchased through:
Harry Osborn Cureton
Acquisition date
1853
Acquisition notes
Lot 283.
Department
Coins and Medals
Registration number
1853,0512.237
C&M catalogue number
RM (BMCRM)
(28)
(34)
Conservation
Treatment
: 11 Jul 2000