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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Roman Coins| ▸ |Constantinian Era| ▸ |Constantine the Great||View Options:   | | | Flavius Valerius Constantinus, Constantine the Great, was the son of Helena and the First Tetrarchic ruler Constantius I. Constantine is most famous for his conversion to Christianity after the battle of the Milvian Bridge where he defeated emperor Maxentius. Before the battle, he saw the words "In Hoc Signo Victor Eris" (By this sign you shall conquer) emblazoned on the sun around the Chi Rho, the symbol of Christianity. After placing this Christogram on the shields of his army, he defeated his opponent and thus ruled the empire through divine providence. He also shifted the capital of the empire to Constantinople, establishing the foundation for an Empire that would last another 1000 years. He died in 337 and his sons divided the Roman territories. |
In Roman Imperial Coinage, on page 473, in the section on Sirmium, footnote 42 says, "In L. [London=British Museum] an irregular SECVPITAS PEI-PETVAE, obv. CONSTNATTI-VAS P F NNG, Bust B1, m.m. SINN, 3.71 gm." Our coin is apparently from the same dies. Certainly unofficial, perhaps this coin was struck by a Pannonian tribal mint?SH94406. Gold solidus, RIC VII Sirmium 42 var. (British Museum specimen of same irregular variant noted), gF, well centered, blundered legends and mintmark, pale gold, light scratches, probably holed and filled, weight 4.100 g, maximum diameter 19.9 mm, die axis 180o, unofficial mint, c. 324 - 325 A.D.; obverse CONSTNATTI-IIAS P F NNG, laureate head right; reverse SECIIPITAS PEI-PETVAE, Emperor standing left, in military attire, right hand crowning trophy of captured arms erected before him, transverse scepter in left hand, shield and cuirass(?) left of base of trophy, SINN in exergue; SOLD
The name and the image of the sun god were frequently displayed on the coins of Rome. Apollo, in particular, was the object of homage in those dreadful times when the spread of plague depopulated the empire. But in the period when paganism was falling to the spread of Christianity, the emperors invoked the sun god Sol more than ever. The last inscription referring to Sol Invictus dates to 387 and there were enough devotees in the 5th century that Saint Augustine found it necessary to preach against them.SH28350. Billon follis, RIC VII Arles -, gVF, weight 3.553 g, maximum diameter 20.3 mm, die axis 180o, 2nd officina, Constantina-Arelatum (Arles, France) mint, 315 - 316 A.D.; obverse IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG, laureate consular bust left, globe in right and eagle-tipped scepter in left; reverse SOLI INVICTO COMITI (to the unconquered Sun, minister [of the Emperor]), Sol standing half left, radiate, nude but for chlamys over shoulders and left arm, raising right hand commanding the sun to rise, globe in left hand, S F at sides, SARL in exergue; extremely rare; SOLD
Upon Constantius' death, Severus II was elevated to the rank of Augustus, while the young Constantine was appointed Caesar. RIC VI notes the ANT: issue was probably continued after 25 July 306 into the spring 307, but no coins of Severus as Augustus were known to the authors. Constantine Caesar is not mentioned at all in conjunction with this last full size follis issue. He is noted for the first time in 308 A.D. for the lighter reformed GENIO CAESARIS* folles.SH28162. Billon follis, RIC VI Antiochia -, VF, weight 8.872 g, maximum diameter 26.7 mm, die axis 180o, 9th officina, Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) mint, as caesar, autumn 306 - spring 307 A.D.; obverse FL VAL CONSTANTINVS NOB CAES, laureate head right; reverse GENIO POPVLI ROMANI (to the guardian spirit of the Roman People), Genius standing left, kalathos on head, holding patera from which liquid flows and cornucopia, Δ-E at sides (officina 9), ANT: in exergue; extremely rare; SOLD
Upon Constantius' death, Severus II was elevated to the rank of Augustus, while the young Constantine was appointed Caesar. RIC VI notes the ANT: issue was probably continued after 25 July 306 into the spring 307, but no coins of Severus as Augustus were known to the authors. Constantine Caesar is not mentioned at all in conjunction with this last full size follis issue. He is noted for the first time in 308 A.D. for the lighter reformed GENIO CAESARIS* folles.RT37957. Billon follis, RIC VI Antiochia -; cf. FORVM 28162 (officina 9), gVF, flat strike reverse, weight 9.639 g, maximum diameter 28.7 mm, die axis 180o, 8th officina, Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) mint, as caesar, autumn 306 - spring 307 A.D.; obverse FL VAL CONSTANTINVS NOB CAES, laureate head right; reverse GENIO POPVLI ROMANI (to the guardian spirit of the Roman People), Genius standing left, nude but for chlamys on shoulders and kalathos on head, patera from which liquid flows in right hand, cornucopia in left hand, H right, ANT: in exergue; extremely rare; SOLD
Constantine the Great, Early 307 - 22 May 337 A.D., Milvian Bridge Battle Commemorative
This very rare type commemorates the valour of Constantine's Gallic army, which fought and won the historic battle at the Milvian bridge.SH35069. Billon half follis, RIC VI Roma 360, VF, weight 3.337 g, maximum diameter 20.2 mm, die axis 180o, 4th officina, Rome mint, c. 312 - 313 A.D.; obverse FL VAL CONSTANTINVS AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed; reverse VIRTVS EXERCIT GALL (the courage of the army in Gual), Virtus standing left, spear in right hand, parazonium in left hand, X - VI across fields, RQ in exergue; very rare; SOLD
Roma was a female deity who personified the city of Rome and more broadly, the Roman state. The earliest certain cult to dea Roma was established at Smyrna in 195 B.C., probably to mark the successful alliance against Antiochus III. In 30/29 B.C., the Koinon of Asia and Bithynia requested permission to honor Augustus as a living god. "Republican" Rome despised the worship of a living man, but an outright refusal might offend their loyal allies. A cautious formula was drawn up, non-Romans could only establish a cult for divus Augustus jointly with dea Roma. In the city of Rome itself, the earliest known state cult to dea Roma was combined with Venus at the Hadrianic Temple of Venus and Roma. This was the largest temple in the city, probably dedicated to inaugurate the reformed festival of Parilia, which was known thereafter as the Romaea after the Eastern festival in Roma's honor. The temple contained the seated, Hellenised image of dea Roma with a Palladium in her right hand to symbolize Rome's eternity.SH35199. Billon centenionalis, RIC VII Rome 148 (R4), SRCV IV 16277, Hunter V 215, Cohen VII 470, sharp EF, weight 2.681 g, maximum diameter 20.1 mm, die axis 180o, 4th officina, Rome mint, 318 - 319 A.D.; obverse CONSTANTINVS AVG, helmeted and cuirassed bust right; reverse ROMAE AETERNAE (to eternal Rome), Roma seated right, helmeted and draped, shield against near side of seat, holding shield inscribed X/V resting on her left knee, P - R divided across fields, RQ in exergue; rare; SOLD
One of the earliest coins of Constantine and the largest coin portrait one can buy without selling the car.SH21641. Billon follis, RIC VI Treveri 719b, Choice aEF, weight 7.452 g, maximum diameter 28.0 mm, die axis 180o, 1st officina, Treveri (Trier, Germany) mint, as caesar, summer 307 A.D.; obverse FL VAL CONSTANTINVS NOB C, laureate and cuirassed bust right; reverse GENIO POP ROM (to the guardian spirit of the Roman people), Genio standing left, holding patera in right hand, cornucopia in left hand, S - A at sides, PTR in exergue; SOLD
The "looking upwards" portraits of Constantine are often described as "gazing to Heaven (or God)."RL38044. Billon centenionalis, Speck and Huston 32a, LRBC I 995, RIC VII -, VF, weight 2.779 g, maximum diameter 19.8 mm, die axis 0o, 6th officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, 328 A.D.; obverse no legend, diademed head right, gazing to Heaven; reverse CONSTANTINIANA DAFNE, Victory seated left on cippus, head right, palm frond in each hand, trophy and captive before, CONS in exergue, S left; similar coin sold for $650 + fees in 2005 in Triton VIII, lot 1248; very rare; SOLD
In 320 A.D., Crispus, eldest son of Constantine I, led a victorious campaign against the Franks, assuring twenty years of peace along the Rhine frontier. He established his residence in Augusta Treverorum (modern Trier), capital of Germania.GB70947. Billon reduced follis, RIC VII 194, gVF, glossy dark green patina, interesting mintmark, weight 3.310 g, maximum diameter 18.7 mm, die axis 0o, 1st officina, Rome mint, 320 A.D.; obverse CONSTANTINVS AVG, helmeted and cuirassed bust right; reverse ROMAE AETERNAE (to eternal Rome), Roma seated right, round shield against near side of seat, holding another round shield inscribed X/V in two lines; REWCP (EW ligate) in exergue; ex CNG auction 233 (26 May 2010), lot 439 (sold for $320 plus fees); SOLD
In early in December 316, to ensure his loyalty, Licinius elevated Aurelius Valerius Valens, the dux limitis (duke of the frontier) in Dacia, to the rank of Augustus. According to Petrus Patricius, when Constantine learned of this "The emperor made clear the extent of his rage by his facial expression and by the contortion of his body. Almost unable to speak, he said, 'We have not come to this present state of affairs, nor have we fought and triumphed from the ocean till where we have now arrived, just so that we should refuse to have our own brother-in-law as joint ruler because of his abominable behavior, and so that we should deny his close kinship, but accept that vile slave [Valens] with him into imperial college.'" The treaty between Constantine and Licinius was concluded at Serdica on 1 March, 317. Whether it was part of that agreement is unknown, but Licinius had Valens executed.SH21476. Billon follis, RIC VII Trier 158 (R5), Cohen VII 536, SRCV IV 16063 var. (obv. leg.), Hunter V -, gem aUNC, weight 3.721 g, maximum diameter 19.2 mm, die axis 0o, 1st officina, Treveri (Trier, Germany) mint, 317 - 318 A.D.; obverse IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right; reverse SOLI INVICTO COMITI (to the unconquered Sun, minister [of the Emperor]), Sol standing slightly left, radiate, nude but for chlamys over shoulders and left arm, raising right hand commanding the sun to rise, globe in left hand, T F at sides, •ATR in exergue; extremely rare; SOLD
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