Definition: Obverse is a term found in Ancient/Classical History in connection with coins. Obverse is the opposite of reverse, so it's the heads side of a coin and reverse is the tails. Until Alexander the Great, the obverse featured gods, not mere mortals.
One of the most famous coins is the silver Athenian tetradrachma with Athena on the obverse and an owl on the reverse. Another famous coin, from Rome, features Brutus on the obverse (the EID MAR Denarius Coin). This coin is unusual in that Brutus was protesting the regal actions of Julius Caesar, but by putting his own head on the obverse, Brutus was presenting himself in the manner of a king.
Obverse was featured as a Thursday's Term to Learn.
Also Known As: heads
