Constantine the Great - MARTI PATRI - Lugdunum

This one hits two of my hot spots - Lugdunum and Mars

Constantine the Great - Follis

Obv:– IMP C CONSTANTINVS P F AVG, Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right (seen from front)
Rev:– MARTI PATRI PROPVGNATORI, Mars, naked, advancing right, holding transverse spear in right hand and shield
Minted in Lugdunum (N|_// PLC). Autumn A.D. 307 - 309/310
Reference:– RIC VI Lyons - (Bust type not listed in RIC). Bastien 460 (7 examples cited)

7.06 g. 27.64 mm. 0 degrees

The type also comes with Draped and cuirassed busts seen from the rear and Cuirassed bust types.

I was particularly taken by the style of the bust which I find well executed.

 

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Very nice. Here is my Trier

Constantine I
Treveri mint
AE Follis
Obvs: IMP CONSTANTINVS PF AVG, laureate and cuirass right.
Revs: MARTI PATRI PROPVGNATORI, Mars with shield and spear. S left, A right. PTR
25x26mm, 6.68g
RIC VI 776

 

I have had a few Trier 776s over the years....



I have had examples of the same type as mine above but Cuirassed



There is also a parallel - Mars standing type for the Lugdunum issues. This one from the next issue on from my OP coin

 

I like the advancing Mars... the reverse reminds me of a Mamertini Zeus / Warrior advancing pentonkion issue! Great detail on obv bust.

And, I really had not paid attention / realize the standing vs. advancing Mars issues in these series... very nice, @maridvnvm !

 

The is also a standing left version:

Treveri (Trier) mint, A.D. 316
RIC 118
Obv: CONSTANTINVS P F AVG
Rev: MARTI CONS-ERVATORI - Helmeted soldier in military dress, standing right, looking left, holding spear and resting hand on shield.
BTR in exergue; T in left field; F in right.
20 mm, 3.2 g.

and a close-up version:

Treveri (Trier) mint, A.D. 310-313 (313-315?)
RIC 884
Obv: CONSTANTINVS P F AVG
Rev: MARTI CONSERVATORI - Helmeted and cuirassed bust of Mars, right
(No mint mark)
19 mm, 2.9 g.
Note: Roman Imperial Coinage (RIC), volume VII, does not include this reverse type--or the bust of Sol reverse--in the issue of coins minted between A.D. 313 and 315, yet the weight of this coin suggests that it was probably struck during this later period. See footnote 2 on page 150 of RIC, vol.VII.

 

Mars also goes uncredited on a couple of his coins:

Ticinum mint, A.D. 306
RIC 75
Obv: CONSTANTINVS NOB CAES
Rev: VIRTVS AV-GG ET CAESS NN - Helmeted Mars, advancing right, with transverse spear and holding trophy over shoulder
ST in exergue; • in left field
27mm, 10.6 g.


Thessalonica mint, A.D. 308-310
RIC 39b
Obv: CONSTANTINVS•FIL•AVGG
Rev: VIRTVTI E-XERCITVS - Mars, advancing right in military dress, holding transverse spear in right hand and trophy over left shoulder.
•SM•TS• in exergue; ✳ in left field, Δ in right
26 mm, 7.2 g.


Rome mint, A.D. 313
RIC 12
Obv: IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG
Rev: FVNDAT PACIS - Helmeted Mars, advancing right, carrying trophy on shoulder and dragging captive by hair
RQ in exergue
17 mm, 1.5 g.

 

Cool coin, @maridvnvm! That is indeed an interesting and fine-style bust on that one!

I only have one Mars Propugnator (Mars the defender) coin, this one of Trebonianus Gallus from Antioch. It has the same (standard) iconography:


Trebonianus Gallus, AD 251-253.
Roman AR antoninianus, 3.58 g, 20.7 mm, 5 h.
Antioch, AD 251.
Obv: IMP C C VIB TREB GALLVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: MARTEM PROPVGNATOREM, Mars advancing right, carrying transverse spear and shield.
Refs: RIC 84; RSC 70; RCV 9637; Hunter 59.
Notes: The reverse inscription is unusually in the accusative case, and probably denotes the "motion toward" aspect of the case: "to Mars the defender." Unlike other issues of the Antioch mint, no officina marks are known on examples of this coin.

 

There is a scarcer Mars facing variety from Trier on the reduced folles that sits alongside the standing right



standing right, head left



I missed out on one of these recently. They come up every couple of years but do command a premium

There is also the half follis to watch out for

 

I must confess, gentlemen. Those are quite the fine and handsome coins. In trying to put together a set of Mars issues of Constantine from the mints that issued them. I've got Treveri and Rome so far. Need Lugdunum and London, I reckon.

 

MARS FACING, TICINUM

 

I thought the Mars facing variety was struck only at Ticinum. I was unaware of a variety from Trier.

 

So I'm sporadically working on a project that involves these reverse types. Like many of my projects, it may never see the light of day. But I suggest an important distinction between propugnator and conservator, related to the posture of Mars.

Propugnator is a somewhat bellicose term; pugnator denotes a combatant; the pro- prefix means that the fighter is going forth to fight, which is consistent with the reverse image of Mars advancing, shield up and spear in hand, ready for battle.[1] While a propugnator may indeed fight to defend Rome, the common translation of “Father Mars the Defender” may obscure the fundamentally aggressive posture of coin and legend. “Father Mars the Fighter” might be a better gloss of Pater Mars Propugnator, and it contrasts with Pater Mars Conservator. The word conservator generally means keeper, preserver, defender, and even savior in later Latin; the MARTI PATRI CONSERVATORI (To Father Mars the Preserver) coin shows Mars at rest, facing right, hand on shield, with spear shaft planted firmly on the ground. Here a more staid god stands as Constantine’s protective deity.[2]


[1] Certain aurei from the Beaurains hoard (RIC VI Trier 59-63) show only a bust of Mars on the reverse with the bellicose MARTI PROPVGNATORI legend.

[2] The Dictionary of Roman Coins comments (on the suggestion of Lorenz Beger) that the MARTI PATRI CONSERVATORI coin actually depicts Constantine, not Mars, on its reverse. But few modern numismatists subscribe to this view, and the double-bust type struck later at Trier clearly reinforces the custom of depicting emperor and god separately; see Stevenson (1982): 540.

 

Great coins all. I really like @gsimonel 's example of a helmeted Mars bust on the reverse. Don't think I've seen that type before.

 

The Mars bust type turns up quite a bit as does the equivalent Sol variety. I have had a few Mars ones but have never obtained the Sol one



I do have this earlier Sol bust type for Postumus though

 

That is very interesting information, Gavin. Thanks for sharing it.

I hope it is not to far off to share this - Septimius Severus denarius with a plain old "MARS PATER" type. This also happens to be the very first ancient I ever owned (1987):



Septimius Severus Denarius
(194-195 A.D.)
Rome Mint
L SEPT SEV PERT AVG IMP IIII, laureate head right / MARS PATER, Mars walking right, holding spear in right hand, trophy over left shoulder.
RIC 46; RSC 311; BMCRE 84.
(3.23 grams / 18 mm)

 

What are the mints that issued these? Roma, Treveri, Ticinum, Lugdunum and Londinium. Are there any others?

Constantine the Great
AE Follis

313 A.D., Rome Mint, 2nd Officina
3.24g, 20.0mm, 6H

Obverse: IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG,
Bust of Constantine I, laureate, draped, cuirassed, right

Reverse: MARTI CO-NSERVATORI,
Mars, helmeted, draped, cuirassed, standing right, holding reversed spear in right hand and resting left hand on shield

Exergue: R/F//RS

Provenance: Ex. eBay 2019

Reference: RIC VII Rome 6

Constantine the Great
AE Follis

313 - 315 A.D., Treveri Mint, 1st Officina
4.83g, 22.0mm, 6H

Obverse: CONSTANTINVS P F AVG,
Bust of Constantine I, laureate, cuirassed, right

Reverse: MARTI CON-SERVATORI,
Mars, helmeted, draped, cuirassed, cloak spread, standing right, holding reversed vertical spear in right hand and resting left hand on shield

Exergue: T/F//PTR

Provenance: Ex. Ancient & Medieval Coins Canada Auction 2, Lot 239, Ex. TheRed Collection

Reference: RIC VII Treveri 53

 

All the Western mints issued this type, so Arles and Aquileia also.

Before it closed, Ostia also issued MARTI CONSERVATORI types with Mars advancing.

 

My only MARTI PROPVGNATORI coin was issued for Hostilian Caesar. And he indeed looks quite bellicose!

Hostilian Caesar (son of Trajan Decius), AR Antoninianus, 251 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, C VALENS HOSTIL MES QVINTVS N C / Rev. Mars advancing right, holding spear in right hand and shield in left, MARTI PROPVGNATORI. RIC IV-3 177b, RSC IV 15, Sear RCV III 9556 (ill.). 22 mm., 3.65 g.

 

I thought that I should add this great website that shows the different aspects of Mars, you can figure out what Mars is up to just by his pose and articles he is carrying-- is he attacking or relaxing or just being passive and chillin'

http://www.forumancientcoins.com/moonmoth/reverse_mars.html

 

One of my focus areas is Probus from Lugdunum. This gives me lots of opportunity to gather Mars coins.

The prevalent Mars type is MARS VICTOR - "Mars walking right, holding spear and trophy" which spans across many of the issues produced by the mint.

Here is one of the earlier issues

Obv:– IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG, Radiate cuirassed bust right
Rev:– MARS VICTOR, Mars walking right, holding spear and trophy.
Minted in Lugdunum (II in exe) Emission 3, Officina 2. November – December A.D. 276
Reference:– Cohen 337. Bastien 179. RIC 37 Bust type F



A minor, much scarcer variation exists with a captive

Obv:– IMP C PROBVS P F AVG, Radiate, cuirassed bust right
Rev:– MARS VICTOR, Mars walking right, holding spear and trophy; at foot, captive.
Minted in Lugdunum (unmarked) Emission 7 Officina -. Summer A.D. 281
Reference(s) – RIC 35 Bust Type F (Scarce)

From aureus reverse dies. Same reverse die as aureus - Bastien 301

Weight 4.12g. 22.42mm. 0 degrees



We also get MARTI PACIFERO

Obv:– IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG, Radiate cuirassed bust right
Rev:– MARTI PACIFERO, Mars standing. left, holding olive-branch and spear, and leaning on shield.
Minted in Lugdunum (II in exe) Emission 2 Officina 2. from November to December A.D. 276
Reference:– Cohen 365. Bastien 167. RIC 42 Bust type F.



And the same reverse type with MARTI VICTORI AVG

Obv:– IMP C PROBVS • P • F • AVG, Radiate cuirassed bust right
Rev:– MARTI VICTORI AVG, Mars standing left, holding laurel-branch and spear; to left behind him, shield
Minted in Lugdunum (II in exe) Emission 7, Officina 2. Summer A.D. 281
Reference:– Bastien 320 (5 examples cited). RIC 89 Bust type F