Theodora was the daughter of Afranius Hanniballianus, Diocletian's praetorian prefect. She entered into a dynastic marriage in the 280s with Constantius I. However, to marry her, Constantius had to sever his ties to his former wife (or consort), Helena, the mother of Constantine. The marriage produced six children--three daughters and three sons, none of whom acheived imperial rank. Moreover, her title Augusta is unattested during her lifetime and was probably awarded posthumously. However, her grandchildren figured prominently in Roman history as the victims of a dynastic cleansing in AD 337, which nearly made her branch of the family extinct. These grandchildren were: Delmatius, Hanniballianus, Constantius Gallus, Julian II, Licinius II, and Nepotian. Coins of Theodora are restricted to single type of AE-4 struck at Trier, Rome, and Constantinople. They were posthumously issued along with those commemorating Helena, the woman with whom Constantius I severed relations in order to marry Theodora. The greater irony is they were minted under the authority of her step-grandsons, Constantine II, Constans and Constantius II, the three emperors who were responsible for the dynastic purge that essentially wiped out her branch of the family! Post anything you feel is relevant! Theodora, AD 293-306 Roman AE-4; 1.12 g, 15 mm Unknown mint, AD 337-340 Obv: FL MAX THEODORAE AVG, diademed and draped bust right Rev: PEITAS ROMANA, Pietas standing right, child in arms; mintmark off the flan Refs: cf. RIC 50; Sear 17500-17506; Cohen 4
Nice coin @Roman Collector ! Super write up... thanks for putting it all into historical perspective. I captured one a little while ago. RI Theodora AE 15 337-340 CE Pietas Romana S 3911
I have him as dead... RI Constantius I Chlorus 293-306 CE DIVO AE Quinarius Thesalonika 317-318 Seated RIC VII 25 R5 RARE
Coins of Theodora were made in an era of sloppy wormanship. Many are missing significant details or legends. One of mine lacks the mintmark; the other lacks the head on the reverse figure. If you see full legend Theodora coins with any degree of eye appeal you might want to buy them. TRP (Trier) but headless Decent reverse figure but no mintmark (also Trier?)
Theodora, second wife of Constantius I struck 337-340 [RIC] or 335 [Callu] 14 mm. 12:00 FL MAX THEODORA AVG Mintmark TRP RIC Trier 43, page 143, plate 1.43 PIETAS ROMANA Pietas standing right holding child in arms The variety with a cross in field left
Nice Theodoras all around folks, and interesting writeup Theodora, AE4 Posthumous issue under the reigns of the sons of Constantine the great Trier mint, 2nd officina FL MAX THEODORAE AVG, draped and diademed bust right PIETAS ROMANA, Pietas standing holding child. TRS at exergue 1.54 gr Ref : Cohen # 4, Roman coins # 3911 And husband Constantius, from the Trier mint too Constantius, Follis Trier mint, 1st officina, AD 305-306 IMP CONSTANTIVS PF AVG, Laureate and cuirassed bust of Constantius right GENIO POPVLI ROMANI, Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopia. S | F in field, PTR at exergue 11.09 gr Ref : RCV # 14176 (100), Cohen #116, RIC VI # 642a Q
I always appreciate a bit of historical and numismatic context with each OP thread... Here's my Theodora----a bit headless on the reverse as Doug mentioned: And, I'll throw in one of her son's---Hanniballianus:
