This curious specimen does not appear to be related to the usual group of lead tesserae from the city of Rome that bear the image of Nero (cf. Rostowtzew 13-31). Unlike those cast pieces, the present example was struck on a square flan from a round die with a portrait resembling that used on the denarii of the emperor. Scattered other lead tesserae from the ancient world in similar fabric, but often of a style distinct from that of the official coinage.