Christianizing!

When Constantine I died in Nicomedia in 337, he left the Roman world in religious turmoil. Constantine had been a Nicene christian who had promoted his new religion to fit with his concept of "one god, one Empire, and one Emperor". At the council of Nicaea in 325 the Emperor tried to unite the Christian church by creating the Nicene creed which affirmed that the holy spirit and Jesus were equal to the father. Constantine and the council also declared that the teachings of Arius were heretical.
Arius taught that Jesus was not distinct from his father and was subordinate to him.
Constantine had Arius banished and his teachings burned. The edict he issued dealing with Arius can be found below.
"In addition, if any writing composed by Arius should be found, it should be handed over to the flames, so that not only will the wickedness of his teaching be obliterated, but nothing will be left even to remind anyone of him. And I hereby make a public order, that if someone should be discovered to have hidden a writing composed by Arius, and not to have immediately brought it forward and destroyed it by fire, his penalty shall be death. As soon as he is discovered in this offense, he shall be submitted for capital punishment"

Ironically enough, Constantine was baptized by an Arian priest on his death bed.
The problems really did not start until after Constantine's death; you see for all his talk of Imperial unity, Constantine couldn't even unite his children under a common religion.
Constantius II was a strange hybrid of Arianism and Nicene Christianity, his brother Constantine II was a Nicene christian but died shortly after becoming Emperor and doesn't really matter and shall not be mentioned again, and Constans was a staunch Nicene christian.
Problems between the two soon arose over the issue of a bishop in Alexandria named Athanasius. Athanasius was vehemently anti Arian and stirred up problems in the city, but the issue that brought him to the attention to Constantius was when the bishop declared that he would cut off the grain supply to Constantinople. Now you could get away with saying a lot in the ancient world but one thing that you don't even hint at was cutting off the grain from Egypt! Athanasius got off lucky, he was just exiled in one piece!

The issue over Athanasius became so tense that Constans declared that if the troublesome bishop was not reinstated, he would declare war with Constantius II.
Constantius II was tied town on his eastern front with the persians and reluctantly reinstated Athanasius as the bishop of Alexandria to keep the peace.
Constantius II desperately tried to continue his father's policy of reuniting the Christian church, he called several more councils in the 340's and 50's, they all failed spectacularly!

I find it fascinating to look at how diverse Christianity was at the time and how the Emperor's desperately and almost fanatically wanted to unify the church. I also find it a bit scary how the Empire almost fought a civil war over a crazy bishop in Alexandria!

Sources
http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/203/2030077.htm
Res Gestae by Ammianus Marcellinus
http://www.fourthcentury.com/index.php/urkunde-33

Pictures of Constantius II





Other pictures.
A "Byzantine" mosaic depicting Arius in submission to Constantine I and the Orthodox at the Council of Nicaea.



Constantine I burning Arian books
From a church cannon law of 825.

Now for the coin!
This is perhaps the nicest coin I own, when I first saw it my jaw hit the floor (Not joking). The style is perfect, the wear is minimal, and the strike is dead on! The light toning is just the cherry on top!


C. 337-355 CE
Pre-reform Siliqua

Rev: VOTIS / XXX / MVLTIS / XXXX within wreath.
Constantinople mint .
Slight cabinet tone with super detail and metal
RIC 102
3.11g
21mm
Please post your coins of Constantius II or Constans.

 

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As much as I am determined to steer away from post 250CE silver, you guys are making the temptation impossible to resist. That is a stunning coin!

 

Thanks Sallent.
I'll say it again, this is the nicest portrait on a Siliqua that I've ever seen in my life!

 

That is a nice Siliqua, but I'm still not very interested in this period of history or it's coins. Especially it's coins. Most are almost unrecognizable and the cartoonish portraits and stick figure reverses, to me, are just not desireable. But, I will say it again. This is a particularly nice coin @Magnus Maximus. Congrats.

 

Each to his own.

 

And that is a good thing don't you think?

 

@Bing Of course, that's why I said "each to his own" in response to your post. Why would you say that I thought differently? If I didn't believe that, I wouldn't have said that.

 

Sounds like you are tired of that Valens solidus that you happen to have. Perhaps if I unburdened you by taking it off your hands...

 

Constantius II

Roman Imperial
Poemenius in name of Constantius II
summer 353 CE
Trier mint
XP
RIC VIII Trier 332 RARE


Roman Imperial
Constantius II 337-361 CE
AE 2
Soldier spearing downed horseman


CONSTANS

Roman Imperial
Constans 337-350
AE3 19mm
Thesalonika mint
Reparatio stdg, XP banner

 

Very Nice @Alegandron !

 

Of course you can take it off my hands-------for the right price.

 

Even though I do not actively collect these any longer, here are a few I own:

CONSTANTINE II
AE Follis
OBVERSE: CONSTANTI-NVS IVN NC, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust left
REVERSE: BEATA TRAN-QVILLITAS, globe on altar inscribed VOT / IS / XX, three stars above, PLON in ex.
Struck at London 323-324 AD
2.5g, 19mm
RIC VII 284

CONSTANTIUS II
AE3
OBVERSE: DN CONSTAN-TIVS PF AVG, pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right
REVERSE: FEL TEMP REPARATIO, emperor standing left on prow of ship piloted by Victory, holding globe with phoenix. BSIS SYM2 in ex.
Struck at Siscia 348-350 AD
2.20g, 18 mm
RIC VIII 205

CONSTANS
AE2
OBVERSE: D N CONSTANS P F AVG - Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust left, holding globe
REVERSE: FEL TEMP REPARATIO, Constans standing left holding chi-rho banner in right and resting left on shield, two bound captives wearing Phrygian helmets standing to left, ASIS in ex
Struck at Siscia 348-350 AD
3.93g, 20mm
RIC VIII 224

 

It's a beautiful coin, MagMax. Congratulations!

 

Loving your recent addition @Magnus Maximus !

Mine are only bronze...still want to see them?

Constans:

Constans, AD 337-350
AE, 2.9g, 19mm; 1h; Siscia, AD 348-350
Obv.: DN CONSTA-N PF AVG; diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right
Rev.: FEL TEMP REPARATIO; emperor in military dress standing left in galley, holding phoenix on globe and standard with chi-rho on banner, in the stern sits Victory steering the ship
In Ex.: ASIS (symbol?)


Constans, 333-337 AD
AE3; Siscia mint: 347 AD.
Obv.: CONSTAN-S PF AVG; rosette-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: VICTOR-IA AVGG; Victory walking left holding wreath in each hand, Chi-Rho in right field
In Ex.: *ASIS*


Constans, AD 337-350
AE, follis, 16mm, 1.5g; 12h; Siscia, AD 337-341
Obv.: CONSTAN-S PF AVG; rosette-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev.: GLOR-IAEXERC-ITVS; two soldiers with spears and shields, facing one standard, chi-rho on banner
In Ex.: BSIS


Constans, AD 337-350
AE, AE4, 18mm, 1.6g; 6h; Thessalonica, AD 347-348
Obv.: CONSTANS PF AVG, laurel and rosette diademed, draped & curiassed bust right
Rev.: VICxxxxxx xxxxxxQ NN (VICTORIAE DD AVGGQNN); wo victories standing facing each other each holding a wreath and a palm
In Ex.: SMTSx

Constantius II:

Constantius II, AD 337 - 361
AE, 3.1g, 16.5mm; 12h; Heraclea
Obv.: DN CONSTAN-XXXX XX XXX [TIVS PF AVG]; diademed, draped and curiassed bust right
Rev.: FEL TEMP XXXXXXXXX [REPARATIO]; soldier spearing fallen horseman who is reaching forward with brimmed helmet, no beard
In Ex.: SMHB


Constantius II, AD 337-361
AE, follis, 15mm, 1.4g; 7h; Constantinople
Obv.: xx xxx [FL IVL] CONSTANTIVS NOB C; laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right
Rev.: GLORI-IAEXERC-ITVS; two soldiers holding spears and shields with one standard between them, O on banner
In Ex.: CONSΓ


Constantius II, AD 337-361
AE Reduced Follis, 15mm, 1.6g, 12h; Alexandria mint, AD 340-341.
Obv.: CONSTANT-IVS AVG, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right
Rev.: GLOR-IA EXERC-ITVS, two soldiers holding spears and shields with one standard between them. Dot on banner
In Ex.: SMALA


Constantius II
AE, 2.76g, 17mm; 6h; Alexandria
Obv.: FL IVL CONSTANTIVS NOB C; laureate cuirassed bust right
Rev.: GLOR-IAEXERC-ITVS; two soldiers standing between two banners with dots, holding shield and spear
In Ex.: SMALB


Constantius II AD 337-361
AE, Antioch, AD 355-361
Obv.: DN CONSTANT-TIVS PF AVG; Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right
Rev.: FEL TEMP REPARATIO; hemeted soldier to left, shiold on left arm, spearing falling horseman, shield on ground at right, horseman falls forward on neck of horse
In Ex.: ANBI


Constantius II, AD 337-361
Æ Follis, 2.8g, 18mm, 12h; Heraclea mint,
Obv.: FL IVL CONSTANTIVS NOB C; Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust left.
Rev.: PROVIDEN-TIAE CAESS; Camp gate with two turrets, no doors; six stone layers, star above, star in left field
In Ex.: SMHΓ

There's still two more...

 

Hey, @Magnus Maximus , that be a VERY nice Siliqua... congrats capturing that little gem!

 

Definitely not my area of collecting but nice coins all.

 

Thanks guys!
Here is a close up on the man of the hour.

 

I may have to change my position about LRBs. I just saw this magnificent Theodosius II for sale by HJB. Of course the starting bid is $2K.

 

Your Siliqua looks tired, and needs a charging... he is only 13%...