Constantius Chlorus caesar, 293 – 305
Aureus, Trier circa 295-296, AV 19 mm, 4.99 g. CONSTA – NTIVS NOB C Laureate head r. Rev. IOVI CONS – ERVATORI Jupiter seated l., holding thunderbolt in r. hand and sceptre in l.; in field l., eagle. In exergue, PTR. C –. RIC –, cf. 19 (PT in exergue). Depeyrot 2B/4 (this coin listed). Calicó 4847b (this coin illustrated). Extremely rare, two specimens listed by Depeyrot and apparently the only one in private hands. Virtually as struck and almost Fdc

Ex Leu 61, 1995, 302; Leu 83, 2002, 835 and CNG 121, 2022, 950 sales. This coin is illustrated in The Roman Aurei by X. E. Calicó.

Graded Ch MS Strike 5/5 Surface 4/5, NCG certification number 4936351-002

Remembered as 'Chlorus', meaning pale or of poor health, by Byzantine writers, Constantius I was the senior of the two Caesars of the First Tetrarchy, and subsequently the senior Augustus from A.D. 305 until his untimely death in 306. The division of the Roman Empire into a tetrarchy – i.e., the rule by four – was instituted by Diocletian in 293 in order to combat the many threats facing the regime. Having already elevated Maximianus to rule alongside him jointly in 286, Diocletian saw the need to expand their diarchy and therefore appointed each a Caesar to serve as deputy: Galerius, who became the junior Caesar, was adopted by Diocletian and assisted him in ruling the eastern provinces, while Constantius was made the senior Caesar under Maximianus with responsibilities for the western provinces. Along with these adoptions each also chose a patron deity to lend legitimacy to their rule. In the case of Diocletian and Galerius, the god was Jove, and they adopted the name Jovius. Maximianus and Constantius took the name Herculius as their patron was Hercules. Both gods received special recognition on the coinage of their respective tetrarchs, such as on this aureus of Constantius where the reverse depicts Hercules in order to celebrate Constantius' membership in the Herculean house. Constantius' reign as Caesar saw the return to Roman hands of the break-away Romano-British Empire of Carausius and Allectus, and later the defeat of a horde of marauding Alemanni from across the Rhine. He established his capital at Trier, and secured his territories from further unrest. After the abdication of Diocletian and Maximianus in A.D. 305 and his and Galerius' elevations, Constantius inflicted a resounding defeat on the Picts of northern Britain. However, while he was involved in this campaign he fell gravely ill, and subsequently died at Eboracum in A.D. 306.