ANCIENT: Magnentius with Christian symbols

Today the postman brought me three packages of coins. All were ordered on different days but the difference between where each started made all come in one lump. I don't expect most to want to see my favorite of the bunch because it is not high grade and matches things I have posted recently. (Yes, another croc.) Perhaps someone will like the Magnentius AE2 from Amiens mint. Amiens had decent style and is not the most common mint for Magnentius. This one is not a bad example. Notice the cross-rho Christian symbol at the top of the reverse. This is interesting because this same mint issued the large chi-rho type bringing up the question as to why they did not use one or the other style on both. While not new today, I'll post an example of the Amiens AE1 Chi-rho for comparison.

 

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As I told you when you bought it, I had my eye on that Magnentius, but my wallet only had moths. Great coin and information about the symbol. :thumb:

 

Both are lovely looking coins. I do like the bottom one best.

 

Both are great coins Doug!

I believe you are wrong here.

We always like to see new coins!

 

There's no such thing as a bad Nemausus.

But those are beautiful bronzes, and I understand they're far from common in those grades. Your photography is exquisite, as usual.

 

Trust me, I wouldnt have posted these two http://www.cointalk.com/t223362/ sad coins if it wasnt for our new posters on here. They would have been kept to myself like many others.

 

Those are hardly sad. Heh - I think I win the prize for pathetic excuses for coins with my Nabataeans, not that we're competing.

 

I've read that Magnentius restored many of the privileges of pagans, so perhaps the reverse with two Victories and the cross-Rho is meant to symbolize some sort of peaceful cohabitation between Christians and pagans.

 

Those aren't sad coins... They have just had a hard 1600 years...

Looking at my fav type (Punic!) at my budget ($20/month... Plus odd jobs round the house pay), you can see a lot of sad coins... Most are tooled/smoothed, very offcenter, heavily corroded or Very, very worn.

@JA

Nabateans are cool... At least they have okay details!


For All:

Please, Please Post Pictures of all of your New Purchases.
Makes it easier to wait (save for a better quality coin)

 

I agree with Windchild.

 

You can't even begin to imagine some of the dreck that I absolutely HAD to have for my collection.

 

Very nice coins. I like this coin type with the large Chi-Rho, sadly I only have one.

 

Not Amiens mint but rather predictably I do have a large ChiRho from Lugdunum.

 

I don't have a Magnentius from Lugdunum. L-R Arles, Siscia (barbarous), 2 Decentius (both Lugdunum?)

 

Very nice Doug, i don't have a Magnentius with a large Chi Rho, not yet but i do have a Decentius from Arles...

 

This is an excellent insight. One should always place a coin in its historical context.

It is worth remembering that Magnentius was only a nominal Christian with strong Pagan sympathies.

When these coins were minted—sometime around AD 353—Magnentius, who was based in the western provinces of the Empire, was in a struggle with Constantius II, who was based in the eastern provinces.

Surprisingly, Constantius was not a supporter of the Catholic Church of Rome. He was, in fact, an adherent to the movement of Arius (known as Arianism).

It is in this background the coins were minted with the symbol of Chi-Ro. This symbol was used to engender support (especially in the western half of Empire) from a mostly illiterate population with whom symbols had a great significance. The Chi-Ro would have universal appeal to both Christian and Pagan alike.

The Chi-Ro Christogram was a symbol that would have been easily recognized by Catholic Christians everywhere. Also importantly, this symbolism would have reminded Catholic Christians that Constantius II was “not one of them.” He was an advocate of the heretical theology of Arianism and did not promote the Catholic church of Rome in the Eastern parts of the Empire.

The Chi-Ro is also a Pagan symbol.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chi_Rho

This symbol would have a sympathetic meaning to the elite in Rome (who were still largely Pagan). It would also be favorable to a large proportion of the population who was unconverted and still staunchly Pagan. The Chi-Ro symbol could even have been looked upon sympathetically by those who recently converted to Christianity, but with whom Paganism still resonated.

Remember, it was only forty years before these struggles that the Battle of the Milvian Bridge was fought. It was at that pivotal battle that Constantine won, reportedly under the inspiration of the sign. Constantine’s victory was the beginning of the conversion of the entire Roman Empire to Christianity.

No one can be certain why Magnentius used the Chi-Ro symbolism on these coins. That said, I enjoy the discussions about history that these coins conjure.


guy

 

The Chi-Rho symbol was also used by pagan Greek scribes to mark, in the margin, a particularly valuable or relevant passage; the combined letters Chi and Rho standing for chrēston, meaning "good." Some coins of Ptolemy III Euergetes (r. 246–222 BC) were marked with a Chi-Rho.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chi_Rho

Good , Guy. Ill show a mentioned Ptolemaic Chi-Rho and ask your interpretation on these two coins bearing the name of Constantius II.

 

They are said to be minted by Poemenius, in the name of Constantius II

Here is a Chi-Rhô from Amiens of mine :



Q

 

Beautiful coin Cuc!

 

Thx