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Constantine the Great AE-3
(20mm, 3.89g), Treveri (Trier), Gaul (in present-day Germany), officina (mint workshop) A, c. 317 AD, Sear 3868, RIC
VII 131. |
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The House of Constantine represented an epochal period in
history. Rome, the center of the Western world, transformed itself from paganism to Christianity. The period began
with a great emperor's embrace of a fringe religion for reasons that appear to be as much political and military
as they were spiritual, and it ended with another emperor's failed attempt to restore the Roman Empire to the polytheism
of its past. |
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Crispus AE-3 (19mm, 2.7g), Siscia, Pannonia (present-day Croatia), c. 320 AD, Sear 3927, RIC VII 123. Obverse: Bust of Crispus facing left. Reverse: Two captives on either side of a standard, a tall pole used by the Roman legions to be seen above the battle and help keep the unit together, "VIRTVS EXERCIT" or "Virtue of the Army." This coin has a reflective black patina. Crispus was the first son of Constantine the Great, with his first wife Minervina, and was executed by him after his second wife Fausta accused Crispus of trying to seduce her. Crispus never ruled, despite issuing coins. |
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Fausta AE-3 (19mm, 3.0g), Nicomedia, Asia Minor (present-day Turkey), c. 324-325 AD, Sear 3805, RIC VII 96, LRBC 1083. Obverse: Bust of Fausta facing right, wearing a necklace. Reverse: Salus, the personification of health (sometimes identified as Fausta), holding babies (sometimes identified as Constantine II and Constantius II), "SALUS REIPUBLICAE" or "Welfare of the state." Fausta was the second wife of Constantine the Great and was responsible for the execution of Crispus, his first son and her stepson. Constantine later executed Fausta by having her boiled alive. |
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Helena AE-3 (20mm, 2.3g), Heraclea, Asia Minor (present-day Turkey), c. 325-326 AD, Sear 3908, RIC VII 79, LRBC 873. Obverse: Bust of Fausta facing right, wearing a diadem (royal headband) and necklace. Reverse: Securitas, the personification of security (sometimes identified as Helena), lowering a branch with her right hand and raising her robe with her left hand, "SECVRITAS REIPVBLICAE" or "Welfare of the state." Helena was the mother of Constantine the Great. She was responsible for the execution of Fausta, her daughter-in-law, who she felt falsely accused her grandson Crispus of trying to seduce her as a ruse to have him executed. Helena made a famous pilgrimage to the Holy Land. |
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Constantine II AE-3 (19mm, 2.7g), Heraclea, Asia Minor (present-day Turkey), c. 325-326 AD, Sear 3948, RIC VII 7, LRBC 871. Obverse: Bust of Constantine facing right. Reverse: Roman army campgate with two turrets, a campgate being the entrance of a Roman army encampment and symbolic of the strength of the army against invading barbarians, star, "PROVIDENTIAE CAESS" or "Divine direction of the caesars." The was the first ancient coin I ever bought, from a local coin dealer at his shop. Constantine II ruled Spain, Gaul, and Britain. He was killed when he invaded Italy by forces of his younger brothers Constans I and Constantius II. Roman Campgates are a popular coin type. Zach Beasley has an excellent page about Architecture-Campgate. Doug Smith also has more detail about Campgates. |
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Constans I AE-2 (22mm, 5.1g), Constantiniple, Asia Minor (present-day Turkey), c. 348-351 AD, Sear 3976, RIC VIII 88, LRBC 2014. Obverse: Bust of Constans facing left, wearing a diadem and cuirass and holding a globus, or celestial orb, in his right hand, symbolizing his power to rule. Reverse: Roman soldier leading a young barbarian from a hut tree, referring to the resettlement of barbarians within the Roman Empire, "FEL TEMP REPARATIO," which is an abbreviation of "FELICIUM TEMPORUM REPARATIO" and translates into "Good times returned" or more loosely "Happy times are here again." It was meant to reassure Roman citizenry of their safety against barbarian raids. Constans ruled Italy, Africa, and Illyricum from 337 to 340 AD plus Spain, Gaul, and Britain from 340-350 AD. |
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Constantius II AE-2 (22mm, 4.4g), Constantiniple, Asia Minor (present-day Turkey), c. 348-351 AD, Sear 4003, RIC VIII 81, LRBC 2026. Obverse: Bust of Constantius facing right. Reverse: Roman soldier spearing a fallen barbarian horseman, "FEL TEMP REPARATIO," which translates into "Good times returned" or more loosely "Happy times are here again." Constantius ruled Thrace, Macedonia, Greece, Egypt, and Asia from 337 to 353 AD, then all the Roman Empire from 353 to 361 AD. These fallen horseman type is probably the single most popular Constantinian bronze, with its dramatic battle scene on the reverse. Most were struck by Constantius II, with some struck by Constans I, Magnentius, Constantius Gallus, and Julian II. They were minted in Alexandria, Amiens, Antioch, Aquileia, Arles, Constantinople, Cyzicus, Heraclea, Lyons, Nicomedia, Rome, Sirmium, Siscia, Thessalonica, and Trier. Along with the Constantine VLPPs, FEL TEMPs were also frequently imitated by tribal peoples. Mark Lehman, an avid Roman coin collector and Ancient Coins for Education (ACE) volunteer, estimates that between 10 and 25 percent of later FEL TEMPs, from the late 350s, are imitatives. The above specimen, a large AE-2 from Constantinople, is one of the earlier ones. Doug Smith has more detail about Falling Horseman and other FEL TEMP REPARATIO Constantinian bronzes. "Helvetica" shows what you can do if you specialize in FEL TEMPS. |
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Julian II AE-1 (29mm, 7.5g), Nicomedia, Asia Minor (present-day Turkey), c. 360-363 AD, Sear 4072, RIC VIII 121, LRBC 2319. Obverse: Bust of Julian facing right. Reverse: Bull, a symbol of paganism, two stars (Gemini or Taurus), "SECVRITAS REIPVB" or "Security of the state." Julian, who was Constantine the Great's nephew, ruled the Roman Empire from 360 to 363 AD before he was killed in battle with the Persians. He's best known for trying to revive paganism, unsuccessfully. The theological disputes and blood feuds of early Christianity, which have continued to this day, had alienated him from the new religion and turned him into a proponent of classical learning and paganism, and before becoming emperor he studied under several prominent philosophers in Athens. Julian, who is sometimes referred to as Julian the Philosopher, was the last pagan Roman emperor and the last emperor of the House of Constantine. The above coin, sometimes termed a "double majorina," was a new denomination introduced by Julian. This rough, well-worn specimen, contrasting sharply with the pristine coin that's the first illustrated on this page, pointedly marks the end of an era. Here are variations on a theme, Julian II copies. |
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Victor Clark has an interesting site on the coins of Constantine the Great, with some additional Constantine family coins illustrated as well. Doug Smith also has some good material on Constantinian period coins. The section of Joe Sermarini's Numiswiki on Constantinian era coins includes good information and photos. Steve Niederloh's Celator's Art site has good material for beginning collectors, with one of his main collecting areas being the family of Constantine. "Voz" has a good page on Tetrarchy coins. Bill Welch has an interesting page on Sol and Oriens. |
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Other glomworthy coins:
Coin sites:
Coin Collecting: Consumer Protection
Guide
Glomming: Coin Connoisseurship
Bogos: Counterfeit Coins
Pre-coins
© 2013 Reid Goldsborough
Note: Any of the items illustrated on these pages that are in my possession are stored off site.