Constantine I, 307 – 337
Medallion of four and a half solidi, Ticinum early 335, AV 20.21 g. CONSTANTI – NVS MAX AVG Rosette-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust r. Rev. PIETAS AVGVSTI NOSTRI Constantine, in military attire, standing l., holding sceptre and assisting kneeling turreted female figure, presented by Roma in background holding shield; in r. field, Victory standing l., holding branch and crowning the emperor. In exergue, T S. C –, cf. 392 (Treviri). Alföldi –, cf. 295 (Treviri). Gnecchi –, cf. 37 and pl. 7, 10 (Treviri). Toynbee –, cf. pl. VI, 2 (Nicomedia). RIC –, cf. 569 (Treviri). Depeyrot –. An apparently unrecorded issue for Ticinum of an extremely rare type. A spectacular medallion with a portrait of excellent style and an impressive and finely detailed reverse composition. Almost invisible marks, otherwise extremely fine / good extremely fine Constantine I was proclaimed Augustus (senior co-emperor) of the Western Roman Empire by the legions in Britannia after his father, Constantius I Chlorus, died at Eboracum in AD 306. This simple event compelled the new Emperor to embark upon more than two decades of war against eastern and western rivals in the Second Tetrarchy and ultimately catapulted the Roman Empire onto a new trajectory as a Christian imperial state. Between 306 and 312, Constantine was embroiled in a struggle for control of the Western Empire first against Valerius Severus, the appointee of Galerius as Western Augustus, and then against Maxentius, the usurping son of the retired Western Augustus, Maximian. The conflict between Constantine and Maxentius reached its height when the former crossed the Alps and entered Italy with 40,000 men. He advanced through northern Italy, defeating the forces of Maxentius as he went, until he reached the walls of Rome. Maxentius had destroyed all the bridges across the Tiber, expecting to hold out in Rome, but began to doubt the wisdom of settling in for a siege and built a pontoon bridge, known as the Milvian Bridge, so he could sally forth and face Constantine in battle. Although Maxentius seemed assured of victory thanks to his greater numbers and a prophecy from the Sibylline Books, Constantine was just as confident. According to his Christian apologists, while on the march, he looked up to the heavens and saw his famous vision in which the Christogram—a monogram composed of the Greek letters chi and rho, the first two letters of the title Christos (Christ)—appeared over the sun in company with the words, in hoc signo vinces (“In this sign, you shall conquer”). At first, Constantine did not understand the meaning of the vision, but Christ later visited him in a dream, explaining that if his army was marked with this symbol, he would certainly overcome all enemies. Despite the fact that he had previously chosen Sol Invictus as his divine patron, Constantine took the advice and defeated Maxentius on 28 October 312. He was at last undisputed Augustus in the West. An uneasy truce with Licinius, the successor of Galerius as Eastern Augustus, managed to hold for a little over a decade, when Constantine seems to have decided that the time had come to restore the rule of both halves of the Roman Empire to the rule of a single man. In AD 324, he provoked a conflict when he entered Thrace (part of Licinius territory) while campaigning against the Sarmatians. When Licinius responded with outrage, Constantine mounted a full-scale invasion, defeating the Eastern Emperor first at Adrianople and then at Chrysopolis on 18 September AD 324. Constantine spared the life of Licinius when he surrendered, but within a year ordered his execution on the grounds that he was plotting a revolt. Constantine alone was master of the Roman world. One of Constantines first acts as Augustus of a united Roman Empire was to establish a new central capital within close striking distance of the major trouble spots on the Danubian frontier in the north and the border with the Sasanian Empire in the east. The prime location was determined to be the site of the old Greek city of Byzantium on the Bosporus and in the autumn of AD 324, Constantine founded his new city - Constantinople (“City of Constantine”) - and laid out its walls. Later tradition held that he was guided by an unseen angel in his placement of the new citys defenses. After six years of construction, on 11 May AD 33, Constantinople was officially dedicated and the Emperor moved into the new imperial palace. This impressive gold medallion was produced and distributed to the army as a donative to celebrate the dedication of Constantinople. The obverse features a beautifully preserved portrait of Constantine in excellent late Roman style. He wears a jewel-studded diadem and the lines that make up his wavy hairstyle are still very sharp. The reverse type is an allegorical representation of the dedication of the city. Constantine stands in full military dress holding the scepter of imperial authority in his left hand and crowned by Victory. With his right hand he raises up a kneeling female figure wearing a mural crown, representing Constantinopolis, the personification of the new city. At the same time a helmeted female figure representing Roma, the personification of Rome stands behind Constantinopolis and helps her to rise, while protecting her with a shield. The type makes Rome a willing participant in the rise of Constantinople and the transfer of imperial power there, glossing over the reality that the dedication of Constantines city on the Bosporus was a slight to the Roman elite and their entrenched pagan customs.