coin

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Object Type
Museum number: BNK,R.703
Denomination: radiate
Description: Silver coin. (whole); Bust of Caracalla, radiate, draped and cuirassed, right, seen from front. (obverse); Serapis, seated left, extending right hand and holding vertical sceptre in left hand; at feet, Cerberus seated left. (reverse)
State
Authority
Cultures/periods
Production date: 215
Production place: Minted in: Rome (city)
Materials
Dimensions: Die-axis: 12 o'clock; Weight: 5.028 grammes
$Inscriptions
Curator's comments: The reverse previously understood as Pluto is now recognised as Serapis who is also associated with the underworld guardian Cerberus (see Rowan 2012).
Bibliographic references: RE5 / Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, vol.V: Pertinax to Elagabalus (123, p.454) (corr = Serapis); RIC4 / The Roman imperial coinage, vol. 4: Pertinax - Uranius Antonius (261d, p.249) (type (corr = Serapis)); Rowan 2012 / Under Divine Auspices, Divine Ideology and the Visualisation of Imperial Power in the Severan Period (pp.138-140)
Location: Not on display
Subjects: emperor/empress; classical deity; classical mythological figure/creature
Associated names: Named in inscription & portrayed: Caracalla; Representation of: Serapis; Representation of: Cerberus
Acquisition name
Acquisition date: 1877
Acquisition notes: The Bank of England loaned their Collection to the British Museum in 1865 wishing to make it accessible to the general public. This remained as a separate Collection until 1877 when the Bank Directors decided it would be more useful to the museum and the public if incorporated into the national collection. The Bank of England collection was therefore presented to the British Museum in 1877, any duplicates being sold to create a coins and medals purchase fund.
Department: Coins and Medals
Registration number: BNK,R.703
C&M catalogue number: RE5 (454) (123)

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