| Theodosius I, 19 January 379 - 17 January 395 A.D. |  |
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| Theodosius I, 19 January 379 - 17 January 395 A.D., |   | |
| AS65213. Lead bulla (tag seal), Conical, uniface, with three draped facing busts; commonly attributed to Theodosius I and his sons Arcadius and Honorius, VF, weight 9.335 g, maximum diameter 19.4 mm, $100.00 (€75.00) |
| RL63736. Bronze AE 4, RIC IX 47(b), VF, weight 1.067 g, maximum diameter 12.4 mm, die axis 180o, Aquileia mint, 25 Aug 383 - 28 Aug 388 A.D.; obverse D N THEODO-SIVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right; reverse VICTORIA AVGGG, two Victories standing facing, each holding wreath and palm, SMAQS in ex; rare; $95.00 (€71.25) |
|  | On 24 August 358, a little more than 25 years before this coin was struck, Nicomedia was destroyed by a major earthquake followed by a fire. The city was rebuilt, but on a smaller scale. |
| RL60501. Bronze AE 4, RIC IX 45(b)5, VF, weight 1.082 g, maximum diameter 12.5 mm, die axis 180o, Nicomedia mint, 25 Aug 383 - 28 Aug 388 A.D.; obverse D N THEODO-SIVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right; reverse SALVS REI-PVBLICAE, Victory walking left, dragging captive, cross left, SMNA in ex; very scarce; $45.00 (€33.75) |
|  | In 390, in response to the murder of his general Butheric, Theodosius I ordered a massacre of the inhabitants of Thessaloniki. Appalled by the brutality of this action, Ambrose excommunicated him. |
| RL52879. Bronze AE 4, RIC IX 62(b), LRBC 1865, VF, weight 2.138 g, maximum diameter 11.9 mm, die axis 0o, Thessalonica mint, Fall 384 - Aug 388 A.D.; obverse D N THEODO-SIVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right; reverse GLORIA REI-PVLICE, campgate with two towers, B (2nd officina) left, TES in exergue; scarce; $40.00 (€30.00) |
|  | On 24 August 358, a little more than 25 years before this coin was struck, Nicomedia was destroyed by a major earthquake followed by a fire. The city was rebuilt, but on a smaller scale. |
| RL60511. Bronze AE 4, RIC IX 45(b)5, VF, weight 1.085 g, maximum diameter 11.2 mm, die axis 0o, Nicomedia mint, 25 Aug 383 - 28 Aug 388 A.D.; obverse D N THEODO-SIVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right; reverse SALVS REI-PVBLICAE, Victory walking left, trophy of arms over shoulder in right, dragging captive with left, cross left, SMNA in ex; very scarce; $40.00 (€30.00) |
|  | The cross was rarely used in early Christian iconography, perhaps because it symbolized a purposely painful and gruesome method of public execution that most early Christians would have personally witnessed. In 315, Constantine abolished crucifixion as punishment in the Roman Empire. The Ichthys, or fish symbol, was used by early Christians. Constantine adopted the Chi-Rho Christ monogram (Christogram) as his banner (labarum). The use of a cross as the most prevalent symbol of Christianity probably gained momentum after Saint Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, traveled to the Holy Land, c. 326 - 328, and recovered the True Cross. |
| BB68010. Bronze AE 4, SRCV 4279, cf. RIC X 440 ff. (various mints), F, weight 1.335 g, maximum diameter 12.9 mm, die axis 270o, uncertain mint, 425 - 435 A.D.; obverse D N THEODOSIVS P F AVG, diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right; reverse cross in wreath, uncertain mint mark in ex; $40.00 (€30.00) |
|  | In 383, Theodosius I ceded Dacia and Macedonia to Valentinian II and recognized Magnus Maximus as Augustus. |
| RL57906. Bronze AE 2, RIC IX 23, aVF, weight 4.766 g, maximum diameter 22.8 mm, die axis 0o, Cyzicus mint, 383 - 388 A.D.; obverse D N THEODO-SIVS P F AVG, helmeted pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right holding spear and shield; reverse GLORIA RO-MANORVM, emperor standing left on galley, head right, raising right hand, Victory at helm, T left, SMKB in ex; large bronze for the period; $38.00 (€28.50) |
|  | On 24 August 358, a little more than 25 years before this coin was struck, Nicomedia was destroyed by a major earthquake followed by a fire. The city was rebuilt, but on a smaller scale. |
| RL60522. Bronze AE 4, RIC IX 45(b)5, VF, weight 1.869 g, maximum diameter 14.1 mm, die axis 180o, Nicomedia mint, 25 Aug 383 - 28 Aug 388 A.D.; obverse D N THEODO-SIVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right; reverse SALVS REI-PVBLICAE, Victory walking left, trophy of arms over shoulder in right, dragging captive with left, cross left, SMNA in ex; very scarce; $36.00 (€27.00) |
|  | On 19 January 379, Emperor Gratian elevated Flavius Theodosius at Sirmium, giving him the title Augustus with power over all the eastern provinces. Theodosius came to terms with the Visigoths and settled them in the Balkans as military allies (foederati). |
| RL66187. Bronze AE 2, RIC IX 52(c)3, VF, weak centers, weight 4.597 g, maximum diameter 21.9 mm, die axis 45o, 1st officina, Constantinople mint, 19 Jan 379 - 25 Aug 383 A.D.; obverse D N THEODO-SIVS P F AVG, helmeted, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right holding spear and shield; reverse GLORIA RO-MANORVM, emperor standing left on galley, head right, raising right hand, Victory at helm, wreath left, CONA in ex; larger bronze for the period; $32.00 (€24.00) |
|  | This type was struck at Thessalonica for Valentinian II, Theodosius, and Arcadius. The regular officina are A (1st) for Valentinian II, B (2nd) and ∆ (4th) for Theodosius and Γ (3rd) for Arcadius. RIC notes that exceptions are rare. |
| BB60487. Bronze AE 4, RIC IX 62(b), LRBC 1865, VF, weight 1.051 g, maximum diameter 12.4 mm, die axis 0o, Thessalonica mint, Fall 384 - Aug 388 A.D.; obverse D N THEODO-SIVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right; reverse GLORIA REI-PVLICE, campgate with two towers, ∆ (4th officina) left, TES in exergue; scarce; $29.00 (€21.75) |
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