Veiled bust right / Constantine in quadriga

Nicomedia mint

RCV17486; 15mm, 1.56g

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Laureate and cuirassed bust/VOT/X within wreath

Siscia mint

RCV16754; 19mm, 3.00g

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Laureate and cuirassed bust/VOT/X within wreath

Siscia mint

RCV16754; 18mm, 3.07g

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Laureate, and cuirassed bust left/Gateway of camp with 2 turrets

Trier mint

RCV 17215 var, 19mm, 2.84g

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Laureate and cuirassed bust left holding globe surmounted by Victory/Altar surmounted by globe

Trier mint

RCV17152, 20mm, 2.86g

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Laureate and cuirassed bust right/2 soldiers standing, facing with spears

Siscia mint

RCV17688; 18mm, 2.28g

Constantius II was the longest surviving son of Constantine the Great and Fausta. Upon the execution of his half brother, Crispus, in AD 326 Constantius temporarily moved to Gaul before moving tom the east which is where he made his imperial career. Appointed Augustus upon the death of Constantine in AD 337 he was implicated in the massacre of the descendants of Constantius Chlorus which included Delmatius and Hanniballianus. Partitioning the empire with his brothers Constantine II and Constans Constantius received most of the eastern provinces including Constantinople.
The early part of his reign saw a prolonged campaign against the Persians but otherwise it was reasonably settled. When his brother Constans was murdered in AD 350 Magentius, a field commander, was proclaimed emperor of the Western empire. Constantius decided to march against the usurper but before doing so appointed his general Constantius Gallus as Caesar. He also came to terms with Ventranio, a general in Illyricum, who had also been proclaimed emperor by his troops but who later remained loyal to Constantius.
Meeting Magentius in Pannonia he defeated him at the Battle of Mursa Major which was one of the largest and most costly battles to take place during the Roman empire. Magnentius however survived fleeing back to Italy before eventually being run down in Gaul. Here he was defeated at the Battle of Mons Selucius in AD 353 and committed suicide. Meanwhile fearing that Constantius Gallus was being disloyal Constantius summoned him to Milan, stripped of his rank and had him executed.
Constantius showed relative tolerance toward Paganism which by this time had been replaced by Christianity as the official religion of the empire. He was though intolerant of Judaism which he subjected to severe restrictions. To help administer the empire he appointed one of his last relatives, Julian Apostate, as Caesar in AD 355. When Julian was proclaimed emperor by his own troops in AD 361 Constantius marched west to face him but fell ill and died before confronting him.

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Laureate bust left wearing consular robes and holding mappa in right hand, globe and sceptre in left/Jupiter standing holding Victory on globe

Cyzius mint

RCV15237; 18mm, 3.55g

Licinius was born in Upper Moesia in around AD 260. He was a friend of Galerius under whom he served in the campaigns against the Persians in AD 298 where he became one of his closest advisors. After the death of Conastantius in AD 306 Licinius served as an envoy to the rebel regime in Rome. When Galerius convened a conference at Carnuntum Licinius was elevated to the western Augustus to replace the deceased Severus.  This annoyed Constantine in the west and Maximinius in the east both of whom had been senior to Licinius.  War between Licinius and Maximinus was not long delayed and in AD 313 Maximinus was defeated and shortly afterwards died.

Licinius was left as co emperor with Constantine. An uneasy partnership lasted for 10 years and despite brief uprisings  it was until AD 324 that Constantine determined to rid himself of his co emperor. Entering Thrace on the pretext of confronting Gothic invaders Licinius was defeated by Constantine in 2 battles. Initially allowed to abdicate and retire  Licinius was soon accused of plotting against Constantine and was then killed.

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Helmeted and cuirassed bust right/VOTXX / MVLT / XXX

Thessalonica mint

RCV16332 var. 20mm, 2.61g

The reign of Constantine marked one of the great turning points in Roman history.  Born around AD 272 the son of Constantius Constantine claimed that he was descended from Claudius Gothicus (AD 268-270) although this is unlikely to be true.

Taking a military career Constantine was appointed a tribune to Diocletian following the elevation of his father to Augustus. Joining his father on a military expedition to Britain upon the sudden death of Constantius in York in AD 306 Constantine was proclaimed by his troops, as Caesar under Severus.  Initially his position was he weak however after Severus fell he cemented his position with Maximian was strengthened through the marriage to Fausta who was the daughter of Maximian also sister to Maxentius.

Becoming Augustus,  the high handed elevation of Licinius to Augustus by Galerius created a rift. Deciding it was time to eliminate his brother in law, Maxentius, he invaded Italy in AD 312 winning the Battle of Milivian Bridge where Maxentius was killed. It was on the evening before this battle that Constantine had his vision of the cross. Whether this is true Constantine’s religious policy was certainly revolutionized thereafter leading to a rapid demise of the old pagan gods and the rise of Christianity.

Although Constantine remained co emperor with Licinius for a further decade in AD 324 he invaded Thrace on the pretext of repelling Gothic invaders. Licinius moved to confront him but was defeated in 2 battles and forced to abdicate. Constantine then became the sole Augustus for the first time since Diocletian.

In AD 325 Constantine convened the Council of Nicaea where Christianity was formally declared to be the religion of the empire. Around this time Constantine decided to found a new imperial capital in the east where Constantinopolis was formally designated in AD 330. This city later became Constantinople and the capital of the Byzantine empire.

Constantine had four sons as well as two daughters. Crispus was probably the most able and although elevated to Caesar was found to be guilty of treason and was executed in AD 326. His three remaining sons were also elevated to Caesar and all later became Augustus in their own right. Constantine died suddenly and unexpectedly in AD 337.

The coinage of Constantine is complex with radical changes being made early in his reign when the gold aureus as replaced by the lighter gold solidus. Constantine also abandoned the silver argenteus replacing it with the siliqua. The bronze follis was also reduced in size with various fractions also being produced although these are mostly quite rare.

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Bare head  right/ Magnentius standing left and holding Victory

Trier

RCV18791; 24mm, 5.63g

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Bare head / Magnentius holding Victory

Barberous

RCV18793 var; 24mm, 6.60g

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