The Romans inherited the designs for most of their armor from the Greeks. While the armor worn by soldiers in the field was generally plain, that donned by high-ranking officers for triumphal parades and other military ceremonies tended to be more elaborate. On coins and monuments, Roman emperors are frequently shown dressed in highly ornate military costumes, addressing their troops before battle or leading the charge.

A portrait head of an emperor was probably once joined to this marble torso, which is clad in a cuirass richly decorated in relief-a customary format for imperial statues set up in Rome and elsewhere. In addition to anatomical details and floral motifs, the breastplate features two figural compositions: on the belly, a pair of winged Victories flanking the Palladium, a deliberately old-fashioned image of Minerva (Athena); and above, a head of Medusa, the protective device featured on Minerva's own aegis, her snake-fringed breastplate. The prominence of Minerva may indicate that the statue was made for a monument to Emperor Domitian (ruled A.D. 81-96), who adopted the goddess as his patron deity.

The military aspect of the emperor's persona grew increasingly central in the third century, as the Roman Empire struggled with a spate of foreign attacks and internal unrest. Many emperors of this period, including Probus (ruled A.D. 276-282), were raised to the throne by the army. On this gold coin, as on a large portion of the issues struck during his reign, Probus appears dressed in armor, with his hair and beard cut short in the manner of a soldier. His stern figure, holding an eagle-tipped scepter in his right hand, was meant to impart a reassuring impression of strength, stability, and confidence at a turbulent time in Roman history.

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