| Crispus, Caesar, 1 March 317 - 326 A.D. |  |
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|   | On 1 March 317, Constantine the Great and co-emperor Licinius elevated their sons Crispus, Constantine II (still an baby) and Licinius II to Caesars. After this arrangement Constantine ruled the dioceses Pannonia and Macedonia, and established his residence at Sirmium, from where he prepared a campaign against the Goths and Sarmatians. |
| RL63954. Bronze AE 2, RIC VII 20, Cohen 109, F, weight 2.691 g, maximum diameter 20.8 mm, die axis 0o, Thessalonica mint, 317 - 318 A.D.; obverse CRISPVS NOBILISSIMVS CAES, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right; reverse PRINCIPIA IVVENTVTIS (In honor of the Prince of Youth), Crispus standing facing in military garb, head right, spear vertical in right, left on shield on ground, •TS•E• in ex; very rare (RIC R4); $100.00 (€77.00) |
|  | On 3 July 324, at Adrianople, Constantine defeated Licinius forcing him to retreat to Byzantium. Crispus destroyed Licinius' fleet at the Battle of Hellespont in the Dardanelles, allowing his father to cross over the Bosporus and besiege Licinius. On 18 September, Constantine I decisively defeated Licinius at the Battle of Chrysopolis and became sole emperor. |
| RL63715. Bronze AE 3, RIC VII 279, Choice VF, weight 3.583 g, maximum diameter 19.8 mm, die axis 180o, London mint, 323 - 324 A.D.; obverse CRISPVS NOBIL C, laureate and cuirassed bust left holding spear and shield; reverse BEAT TRA-NQLITAS, globe on altar inscribed VOT/IS / XX in three lines, three stars above, PLON in ex; scarce; $95.00 (€73.15) |
|  | On 19 Dec 324, Licinius abdicated his position as Emperor. He was pardoned by Constantine I as a result of the supplication of his wife Constantia (who was Constantine's half-sister) and banished to Thessalonica as a private citizen. The next year Licinius was executed on the charge of conspiring, and raising troops against the emperor. |
| RL56750. Bronze AE 3, RIC VII 250, VF, weight 3.187 g, maximum diameter 19.9 mm, die axis 180o, Londinium (London) mint, 323 - 324 A.D.; obverse CRISPVS NOBIL C, laureate and cuirassed bust left holding spear and shield; reverse BEAT TRA-NQLITAS, globe on altar inscribed VOT/IS / XX in three lines, F-B across fields, three stars above, PLON in ex; $90.00 (€69.30) |
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