A Commemorative Journey

History records the myth of the founding of Rome on April 723 BC. According to the legend, Romulus and Remus were the sons of Rhea Silvia, the daughter of King Numitor of Alba Longa. Alba Longa was a mythical city located in the Alban Hills southeast of what would become Rome. Before the birth of the twins, Numitor was deposed by his younger brother Amulius, who forced Rhea to become a vestal virgin so that she would not give birth to rival claimants to his title. However, Rhea was impregnated by the war god Mars and gave birth to Romulus and Remus. Amulius ordered the infants drowned in the Tiber, but they survived and washed ashore at the foot of the Palatine hill, where they were suckled by a she-wolf until they were found by the shepherd Faustulus.


The she-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus
Capitoline Museum, Rome

Some background is needed to lead into my quest now going on for more than 15 years. Since I learned of their existence I have wanted a complete set of city commemorative a.k.a. commemorative series celebrating the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Rome.

I have yet to complete this task but made some good progress this year purchasing no less than 7 new specimens. The 1100th anniversary would fall on 347 AD and coins were being minted as early as 330 for this auspicious event. Constantine's sons continued with the commemorative series for some time after his death.

On 11 May 330 AD, Constantine dedicated Constantinople as the new eastern capital of the Roman Empire. To mark the event, millions of small bronze coins were minted in many of the imperial mints along with lesser minted medallions and silver coins. Many of these depicted Roma or Constantinopolis on the obverse and various mythological reverses types proclaiming Constantine’s foundation of a new capital and dynasty, while associating this capital with Rome’s traditional seat of power, and legitimizing his dynasty through its connection to Rome’s mythological past.

The coins are not depicted in any particular order but are arranged in groups of coins I possess, ones I hope to add, and others I am not holding my breath for acquiring anytime soon or at all.

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In my current collection

These are the most common and recognizable of the series. I looked for harder to find ones early on allowing me to look for better examples of these this year while still on a budget.


Commemorative Series
Mint Arles
330 AD
Obvs: CONSTANTINOPOLIS, Laureate and helmeted bust left, wearing imperial mantle, holding reversed spear.
Revs: Victory standing left on prow, holding spear and shield. Star to left, PCONST.
AE 17x19mm, 2.21g
Ref: RIC VII.352
ex Victor Clark


Commemorative Series
Mint Arles
334 or 336 AD
Obvs: VRBS ROMA, Helmeted and mantled bust of Roma left.
Revs: She-wolf standing left, head right, suckling the twins. Above chi-rho between two stars, (P)CONS(T).
AE 14x15mm, 1.57g
Ref: RIC VII.385/400

The two above come in a mind boggling variety of mints and devices. The next two are similar to the above but less common.


Commemorative Series
Mint Rome
336/337 AD
Obvs: CONSTANTINOPOLIS, Laureate and helmeted bust left, wearing imperial mantle, holding reversed spear.
Revs: VICTO RIA AVG, Victory standing left on prow, holding wreath and palm. ϵ below.
AE 13x15mm, 0.76g
Ref: RIC VIII.20/31/42

Oddly RIC seems to have 3 identical entries for this coin? There also exist a variety of this one that has no inscription. This one must be very rare and I have not seen one. Below was only minted in Rome.


Commemorative Series
Mint Rome
337 to 340 AD
Obvs: VRBS ROMA BEATA, Roma helmeted, draped, and cuirassed left.
Revs: She-wolf standing left, head right, suckling the twins. Above wreath between two stars, R * Q.
AE 14x15mm, 1.22g
Ref: RIC VIII.29

The next 4 are votives. The have the same obverses as the others but contain reverses of coins from others found from the family of Constantine. Minted at numerous imperial mints a distinction is the CONSTANTINOPOLI inscription versus the standard CONSTANTINOPOLIS. The shorter of the two only occurring at a few mints on the shores of the Propontus.


Commemorative Series
Mint Constantinople
336/337 AD
Obvs: VRBS ROMA, Helmeted and mantled bust of Roma left.
Revs: Two soldiers standing facing one another, each holding reversed spear and resting hand upon shield. Between, signum surmounted by banner with annulet. CONSϵ
AE 15x16mm, 1.44g
Ref: RIC VII.143


Commemorative Series
Mint Constantinople
336/337 AD
Obvs: CONSTANTINOPOLI, Laureate and helmeted bust left, wearing imperial mantle, holding reversed spear.
Revs: Two soldiers standing facing one another, each holding reversed spear and resting hand upon shield. Between, signum surmounted by banner with annulet. CONSZ
AE 13x15mm, 127g
Ref: RIC VII.144
ex Warren Esty


Commemorative Series
Mint Heraclea
347/348 AD
Obvs: CONSTANTINOPOLI, Laureate and helmeted bust left, wearing imperial mantle, holding reversed spear.
Revs: VOT XX MVLT XXX, in wreath. SMHΓ
AE 12x14mm, 1.02g
Ref: RIC VIII.50


Commemorative Series
Mint Heraclea
347/348 AD
Obvs: VRBS ROMA, Helmeted and mantled bust of Roma left.
Revs: VOT XX MVLT XXX, in wreath. SMHB
AE 13x14mm, 1.41g
Ref: RIC VIII.49
ex Warren Esty

Still not done yet, I did mention there were millions of these made right?

The next 4 follow more of a medallion or 'special' issue design but are much smaller than medallions and made for the consecration of Constantinople. These were minted at Rome and Constantinople only. PR may mean Pop Romanus.


Commemorative Series
Mint Constantinople
330 AD
Obvs: POP ROMANVS, Draped bust of genius left, cornucopia over shoulder.
Revs: Eight pointed star in wreath, CONSI.
AE 14mm, 1.44g
Ref: RIC VIII.22


Commemorative Series
Mint Constantinople
330 AD
Obvs: POP ROMANVS, Draped bust of genius left, cornucopia over shoulder.
Revs: Bridge over river, CONS ϴ above.
AE 15mm, 0.98g
Ref: RIC VIII.21

I did a write up on this one HERE which tries to guess which bridge is actually on the reverse. The poll is almost split 50/50 on it being the Milvian bridge or one that we will never know.


Commemorative Series
Mint Rome
348 AD
Obvs: RO MA, Helmeted and mantled bust of Roma left.
Revs: Emperor standing facing, head left, wearing military attire, holding spear and shield. P–R across field.
AE 16mm, 2.38g
Ref: RIC VIII.104
ex Victor Clark


Commemorative Series
Mint Rome
348 AD
Obvs: CONSTANTINOPOLIS, Laureate and helmeted bust left, wearing imperial mantle, holding reversed spear.
Revs: Pax standing left, holding branch and scepter. P–R across field.
AE 15mm, 1.60g
Ref: RIC VIII.106

This last one begins the silver issues. This one is a new and debated denomination called a scripulum. It is generally 1/2 or a third the weight of a siliqua. To make it more ambiguous this particular one is believed to commemorate the 200th founding of Constantinople which would put it in Justinian's reign. However types almost identical to this were issued for the 1100th anniversary so I include it in the same group.


Commemorating Constantinople
5th/6th c. AD
Mint: Constantinople
AR Scripulum
Obvs: Helmeted, draped, and cuirassed bust of Constantinopolis right.
Revs: Large K.
13x15mm, 1.07g
Bendall 8c

That concludes coins in my collection. Next I continue with silver but these are NOT in my collection.

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Commemoratives I hope to obtain in the future

Continuing with issues celebrating Constantinople is a similar type as above except the obverse which may depict Helena, Fausta, or Theodora but no one is sure.


Commemorative Series. AD 330-354. AR Third Siliqua (12mm, 1.14 g, 12h). Dedication issue. Constantinople mint. Struck under Constantine I, circa AD 330. Pearl-diademed and mantled bust right, wearing pearl necklace / Large K. RIC VII -; Bendall, Anonymous 4; RSC -. EF, toned. Good quality metal.
Coin image courtesy of Classical Numismatic Group.


COMMEMORATIVE SERIES. 337-354 AD. AR Third-Siliqua (15mm, 0.82 g). Constantinople mint. Struck circa 330 AD. Helmeted and draped bust of Roma right / Large P within beaded border. J. P. C. Kent, "Urbs Roma and Constantinopolis Medallions at the mint of Rome," Essays Sutherland, p. 112, pl. 13, 29; RSC -; Vagi 3039. VF, toned, flan crack, edge chip.
Coin image courtesy of Classical Numismatic Group.


ROME. Ca.5th-6th Centuries A.D.
AR Scripulum. Helmeted bust of Roma r. Rv. Large R. 1.04 grams. Kent pl.2.30, Vagi 3040. Pleasing pale gray. Extremely Fine. (500-700)
Coin image courtesy of Tallent & Belzberg Collections

These letters are to represent the cities of Rome (R,P), and Constantinople (K).


Commemorative Series. AD 330-354. AR Half Siliqua (16mm, 1.30 g). Constantinople mint. Struck under Constantine I, circa AD 330. Eight-rayed star / Laurel wreath with central jewel. RIC -; Bendall, Anonymous6; RSC -. EF, lightly toned.
Coin image courtesy of Classical Numismatic Group.

I have also seen these in bronze.

Lastly is a group I would only categorize as unicorns or coins out of my reach.

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Commemoratives I would like to obtain but probably won't happen


COMMEMORATIVE SERIES. 337-354 AD. Æ Medallion (32mm, 25.86 gm). Rome mint. Struck 337-340. CONSTANTI-NOPOLIS, draped bust of Constantinopolis right, wearing laureate crested Corinthian helmet and necklace, holding sceptre over right shoulder / VIC-TO-RIA AVG, Constantinopolis, winged and turreted, seated left, holding branch and cornucopiae, left foot on prow. RIC VII 303; RIC VIII 362; F. Ntantalia,Bronzemedallions unter Konstantin dem grossen und seinen söhnen, Series B, 6 (V4/R4); J.P.C. Kent, "Urbs Roma and Constantinopolis Medallions at the mint of Rome," Scripta Nummaria Romana pg. 109, 13; Gnecchi 4. VF, olive green patina. Very rare.
Coin image courtesy of Classical Numismatic Group.


Commemorative Series. AD 330-354. Æ Pattern of 1½ Solidi (25mm, 6.10 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Struck circa AD 330. CONSTAN TINOPOLI, turreted and draped bust of Constantinopolis left, wearing elaborate neckless / Victory standing facing between two shields set on ground, holding wreath in right hand and palm frond in left; CONS. RIC -; Ntantalia -; Kent -; Gnecchi -. Good VF, dark green patina, some red, minor roughness and smoothing. Unique.
Coin image courtesy of Classical Numismatic Group.

As far as I know the above is the only known in existence.


Commemorative Series. AD 330-354. Æ Medallion (34mm, 26.40 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck AD 340-350. VRBS ROMA, draped bust of Roma left, wearing laureate crested helmet and necklace / She-wolf to left, suckling Romulus and Remus; two stars above. RIC VII 349; Ntantalia Series C, Group 9, 108 (V78/R72); Kent 19 and pl. 12, 14 (same dies); Gnecchi 6 and pl. 132, 7 (same dies). Near EF, attractive dark green patina, minor areas of roughness. Very rare.
Coin image courtesy of Classical Numismatic Group.

The above medallion sold for $26000 plus fees in 2013.


Constantine I. AD 307/310-337. AR Medallion of 5 Siliquae (30mm, 17.86 g, 6h). Donative to Commemorate the Dedication of Constantinople. Constantinople mint, 6th officina. Struck shortly before 11 May AD 330. Laurel-and-rosette-diademed head right / D N CONSTANTINVS down left field, MAX TRIVMF AVG, down right, Roma enthroned facing with right foot on footstool, shield on ground at side, holding globus in right hand and scepter in left; MCONSS. RIC VII -; Gnecchi -; RSC -; Tkalec (23 October 1998), lot 300. Good VF, small repair on cheek. Extremely rare with this reverse.
Coin image courtesy of Classical Numismatic Group.

CNG writes: "On 11 May 330 AD, after almost six years of transformation from the ancient city of Byzantium, Constantine dedicated Constantinople as the new eastern capital of the Roman Empire. Forty days of festivities culminated with a final dedication ceremony in the newly-enlarged Hippodrome. To commemorate the dedication, silver five-siliquae multiples were struck which were presented to the new city’s elite in the emperor's presence. They were minted with two reverse types: the well-known seated Constantinopolis, struck at six different officinae, and the very rare seated Roma, struck only at officina S. Their anepigraphic obverse with the large head of Constantine right and the vertical placement of the reverse legend on either side of the figure are reminiscent of Hellenistic royal tetradrachms."

If I am lucky I only need 4 more for a "complete" set, at least for the ones that I think I can afford.

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References

History Channel - Founding of Rome

Roman-empire.net - The founding of Rome

Classical Numismatic Group - https://cngcoins.com/Default.aspx

Coinage and History of the Roman Empire by David Vagi - https://www.amazon.com/Coinage-History-Roman-Empire-II/dp/0944945317

 

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Excellent write-up and even more impressive coins. Two thumbs up

 

This should be a featured thread. Great write up, and great coins.

Here is my Roma commemorative

 

Great coins and congrats on a great write-up...

ROMA COMMEMS:


Rome VRBS ROMA commem 330-331 CE Æ reduced centenionalis, 16mm, 2.5g, 12h; Trier mint, CE 330-331 She-wolf RIC VII 529


RI commem AE Follis Urbs ROMA She-wolf Rom Rem Stars RIC VII Lyons 242


RI Rome Commem AE Follis Thessalonika 330-333 CE VRBS ROMA She-Wolf Rom-Rem stars Sear 16516 Obv-Rev


IN MY OFFICE:

She-Wolf Romulus Remus bronze statuette

 

CONSTANTINOPLE COMMEMS:


RI commem AE Follis CONSTAN-TINOPOLIS Victory Prow Shield RIC VII Trier 543


RI Commem Urbs Constantinopolis Victory Commem


RI Commem AE 17 Constantinopolis 227-340 Victory Alexandria RIC VIII 17

And, HEY! San Francisco tried to get in on this Commemorative stuff, but it just did not seem to happen...

Chinese Commemorative 1939 San Francisco Golden Gate Exp triangle

 

Sweet statue, man. I got to get me something classic like that too to spice up my office.

 

I have beaucoup crap like that spread throughout my Office, my Home Office (Holding Co. Corp Hdqtrs), and Home that are pickups from my travels or hobby captures. Fun to have but cool clutter to say "Where did I get that?" or "Why in the HECK did I buy THAT?" or "Oh YEAH, I forgot that one..."

Most I have given away, but I still have a bunch of fun ones...

 

You know... I have never licked it! I don't know if it IS sweet...

 

Thanks for the great laugh.

 

LOL, I was laughing too!

 

This. Thanks for the write-up! I really enjoyed it.

 

Great write up David@PCC, with a fantastic set of coins, all with strong detail I especially like your Milvian bridge, I vote Milvian so it brings it to 51%.

 

Great post and coins!

 

I'd love to read your post David, but you've attached numerous massive images, and I only have a DSL connection in my neck of the woods. I gave up on loading them. I wish we could all keep our images down to less than 1000 pixels wide.

 

I have a question about the first two "votives" that you listed--Roma and Constantinopolis obverses with two-soldiers reverse: at one time it was proposed that these were minted during the interregnum, the period following the death of Constantine but before his sons had a chance to initiate the murders of Decentius and Hannibalianus. Is that hypothesis still credible, or has it been rejected?

 

Sorry about that. I've used reduced images in the past and I feel like the images are we quite diminished. I will try to find a happy medium in the future.

 

I'm not sure why I wrote those two are votive, the second two certainly are. I used RIC's dating and am unsure how they came to date these. I think a post just on this one issue warrants a post of its own and I am intrigued to research further. CNG and others use a generic 330 to 354 date for these.

 

Most likely, it's not really the width of the images but the size in MBytes that slows down the process. You can probably achieve a sufficient level of detail in the images if you reduce their size to 1.0 MBytes or less, especially for individual coins showing just the obverse and reverse.

 

The sons of Constantine waited, I think, about 3 months before declaring themselves co-Augusti. (This was to give themselves time to eliminate any potential rival claimants.) During this time (337 C.E.) there was no Augustus whose portrait belonged on the obverse, so it seems reasonable that many of these--what, hybrids?--were minted during this time. It's possible that these coins continued to be minted after the brothers claimed the purple, but I don't know how they came up with 354. Anyone know?

The other question is how they came up with 330 as a beginning date, 7 years before the death of Constantine. Is there any hoard or other data to support this? Are there 2-standards versions of these? I've never seen any.

At your suggestion, I've started a new thread on this topic.

 

Is worn but I assume it is official.

Can be found here.