Roman Emperor Nero. AD 54-68. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.0 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck circa AD 64-65. NERO CAESAR, laureate head right / AVGVSTVS GERMANICVS, Nero Colossus statue standing facing, radiate and togate, holding branch in right hand and Victory on globe in left. RIC I 47; RSC 45; BMCRE 60; BN 206.


The reverse depicts Nero’s Colossus, a roughly 120 foot tall bronze statue of the emperor as Sol that was created by Zenodorus for the vestibule of the Domus Aurea, or Golden House, the massive palace constructed by Nero following the fire of AD 64. Its memory was retained in the popular name of the amphitheater that was built close to the Colossus – the Colosseum.