[ancients] Happy Birthday, Constantius I Chlorus!!

Happy Birthday, Constantius I Chlorus aka Constantine the Great's dad!!

Lived : 31 March 250 - 25 July 306 AD
Reigned : 1 May 305 - 25 July 306 AD

We've seen some nice Carausius coins recently, but now let's see some from the man who tasked to end his breakaway Britannic Empire.

Constantius, soon after being appointed as his father-in-law Maximian's Caesar in 293, defeated Carausius's army in Gaul. He would likely have defeated Carausius at his stronghold in Britainnia as well, had the usurper not instead met the ignominious fate of death-by-accountant (or rationalis, to give Allectus his proper title).

Constantius eventually reconquered Britain in 296, and continued to serve the Empire ably as the most moderate of the Tetrarchs. He succeeded Maximian as Augustus in the West on 1 May 305, but after ruling for a little more than a year died suddenly at Eboracum (York), becoming the second emperor to die there. Perhaps it was something disagreeable in the water?

I have only one Constantius I to show, but I trust you guys have more!



CONSTANTIUS I CHLORUS
Follis
Lugdunum mint, 300-304 AD, RIC 161a.
O: CONSTANTIVS NOB CS, laureate and cuirassed bust right.
R: GENIO POP-VLI ROMANI, Genius standing left wearing a modius, chalmys over his left shoulder, holding patera in right hand and a cornucopia in his left hand, B in right field, PLG in ex.

 

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Very nice Constantius I coin. I have one as well.



Constantius I. AE Follis. 303-305 AD. 6.4g, 27.68mm

OBV: CONSTANTIVS NOB C, laureate, cuirassed bust left.

REV: GENIO POP-VLI ROMANI, Genius standing left by altar, modius on head, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera and cornucopiae. Star in right field. Mintmark PLG.

REF: RIC VI Lyons 180a.

 

Nice left-facing bust! It looks like it could be a mirror image of mine.

 

Here is one of mine:

CONSTANTIUS I AE Follis
OBVERSE: CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES, laureate head right (large head type)
REVERSE: SALVIS AVGG ET CAESS FEL KART, Carthago standing facing, head left, in long robe, holding fruits in both hands. Mintmark Gamma
Struck at Carthage 298-299 AD
7.41g, 28mm
RIC VI 32a

 

I really like the style of Carthage portraits.

 

Own none of him, nice coins everyone.

 

I own only one follis of Chlorus. It's common, but quite nice...

Constantius I "Chlorus"
AE Follis, 7.9g, 29mm; Antioch mint: AD 300-301
Obv.: FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES; Laureate bust right.
Rev.: Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys over left shoulder, right holding patera (from which liquor flows), left cornucopiae, epsilon / K - V // ANT
Reference: RIC VI 55a (p. 620)

 

thanks for this nice photo about coins i loved it
so sad that vandal and numidian (my people) went to destroy Rome and turned it to ashes and dust

 

How about some of the coins he actually had made (by Lyon workers in Boulogne) to pay for the British invasion













FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB C - Bust right, Laureate.

GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI - Genius, naked standing left, modus on head holding patera and cornucopiae.

296AD - RIC VI Lugdunum 17a (p243)

Constantius was a successful Caesar, were it not for his untimely death the Tetratchy would probably have survived much longer.

 

Nice coins BH

 

Considering that the Tetrarchy was for large part destroyed by his son Constantine, I have issues with this statement. Diocletian set up a workable system except he failed to allow for disputes as to who should succeed to openings and whether the remaining Senior Augustus had complete control of both halves of the Empire. Maximianus never challenged Diocletian for top billing but it was naive to expect all players to bow down to Galerius equally without question. I wonder if things might have gone better had he set up a system with one Augustus and three Caesars rather than two and two.

 

Why am I not surprised

I think its pretty clear that I was also pointing a finger at Constantine. Maybe you mis-read my post, or maybe you just automatically disagree with me?

Had Constantius lived on, Constantine would not have taken over from his father, had he not taken over he would not have fought his way across Europe seeking acceptance when he did. Ergo had Constantius not died when he did the Tetrarchy would have lasted longer.

 

From London mint:



Ticinum mint:

 

I have one ugly constantius chlorus from the rome mint...





also slightly bent, as you can kind of tell.

 

These two are my favorites of Constantius I since they are pre reform antoniniani from the short time after Constantius was made Caesar before the reform ended the antoninianus.

Less common than post reform coins as Caesar are the folles of Constantius as Augustus.

 

I have none of his coins but wish for a tetradrachm.

Nice coins all.

 

Awesome coins guy's, way Cool....

 

Hey guys, wait up!! ... ummm, am I too late to join-in?

Constantius I Chlorus AE Follis
Date: 301-303 AD
Diameter: 28.5 mm
Weight: 10.1 grams
Obverse: CONSTANTIVS NOB C - Laureate and cuirassed bust left, holding sceptre over left shoulder
Reverse: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI - Genius standing left, holding patera over altar and cornucopiæ; B right, PLC in ex. (Lugdunum mint)
Reference: RIC 167a
Other: Superb and bold portrait

 

Somebody else has to have an Augustus coin!

 

Constantius I Chlorus - RIC VI Lugdunum 187a
Obverse – IMP CONSTANTIVS AVG, Laureate, cuirassed bust left
Reverse – GENIO POP-VLI ROMANI, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chalmys over left shoulder, right holding patera over altar, left cornucopia
Minted in Lugdunum (* in right field, PLG in exe). 1st May A.D. 305 – 25th July A.D 306
Reference:– RIC VI Lugdunum 187a. Bastien XI 369 legend break iii