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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;David@PCC, post: 2761207, member: 80556&quot;]This iconic type was on my wish list for a long time and I was finally able to get a decent example a couple months back. I know there is a lot of controversy surrounding it as to whether the bridge on the reverse is actually the Milvian bridge in Rome, site of Constantine&#039;s victory over Maxentius, and location of his vision.</p><p>I recently revisited this piece to see if I could come up with a theory of my own. I do not hold high degrees in history or art, only in engineering, so we will see how my theories hold up.</p><p>Most information I could find online had similar accounts for Constantine&#039;s battle of the Milvian Bridge so I decided to use the going history of the battle along with trying to use the image on my coin as a guide. Seemed like a reliable source since it was made at a contemporaneous time as the battle. I also decided to use other examples to get the best complete image of the bridge. Well start with my coin:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]634602[/ATTACH]</p><p>[ATTACH=full]634603[/ATTACH] Commemorative Series</p><p>AD 330-354</p><p>Constantinople mint</p><p>Struck in celebration of the foundation of Constantinople, AD 330. </p><p>POP ROMANVS, draped bust of Genus left, cornucopia on shoulder / Bridge over river.</p><p><br /></p><p>I decided to start with the most common explanation which is this is the Milvian bridge. I was surprised to learn that the bridge still exist</p><p>[ATTACH=full]634605[/ATTACH] </p><p>This one comes from Wikipedia and is as it looks today. Comparing it to my coin there is little resemblance to it. Of course it has gone through some restorations in the past so I knew I had to find older pictures. One of the oldest I found</p><p>[ATTACH=full]634606[/ATTACH] </p><p><a href="https://www.romeartlover.it/Vasi84.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.romeartlover.it/Vasi84.htm" rel="nofollow">This</a> sketch by Giuseppe Vasi was published in 1754. Pretty old and shows similarities to the modern one. To me the Milvian bridge does not look like the bridge on my coin, especially the arches. Mine is rather flat where it meets the supports. For now I&#039;m going to conclude it is not the Milvian Bridge. So where do I go now?</p><p>Think I need to look at similar examples.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]634608[/ATTACH] </p><p><a href="http://www.coinweek.com/ancient-coins/coinweek-ancient-coin-series-bridges-ancient-coins/" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinweek.com/ancient-coins/coinweek-ancient-coin-series-bridges-ancient-coins/" rel="nofollow">This</a> one is from coin week and has more defined supports than mine, in fact most if not all had similar. A few things strike me when comparing the two, first all have an xxxxxxx framework above the walkway which would indicate a wooden structure to me. Secondly most have an almost crooked support which seems strange. They look like /_/ instead of |_|, seems a strange way to build a bridge. Also this one clearly shows water flowing under the right support. </p><p>Ok maybe the engraver is sloppy or it is just a different angle or perspective. I had to look elsewhere. </p><p>[ATTACH=full]634609[/ATTACH] </p><p><a href="https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=192580" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=192580" rel="nofollow">This</a> shows a &#039;typical&#039; stone bridge with arches clearly defined. Why on earth would the engravers depict the bridge on the commemorative as such?</p><p>No we go the historical content. &quot;The stone-built bridge had been reduced in width in order to keep Constantine’s forces back, so Maxentius’s men had crossed the Tiber via an improvised pontoon construction. This had been fine for men and horses making their way slowly and carefully in the days before the battle. As a means of escape during the stress of battle, however, it was wholly inadequate. &quot; from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Battle-of-the-Milvian-Bridge" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Battle-of-the-Milvian-Bridge" rel="nofollow">Britannica.com</a></p><p>The pontoon bridge peaked my interest, so I went in that direction. </p><p>[ATTACH=full]634616[/ATTACH] </p><p><a href="http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Pontoon_bridge" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Pontoon_bridge" rel="nofollow">This</a> bridge is from Marcus Aurelius over the Danube and shows a lot of similarities to the coins both having the xxxxxxx framework and non arched supports. Artist rendition of the pontoon bridge showing the destroyed Milvian bridge in the background to hinder Constantine.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]634618[/ATTACH] </p><p>We are much closer now except on every coin there are also towers. If a temporary wooden bridge was constructed, would there be towers at each end? I don&#039;t have all the answers, but I did find this on pinintetest</p><p>[ATTACH=full]634620[/ATTACH] </p><p>Showing Roman construction pontoon bridge with towers at Arles. Did Constantine or Maxentius have something like this built or connected to the partially destroyed Milvian bridge? I don&#039;t have all he answers but I would guess this construction matched pretty darn well with the reverses of these commemoratives. </p><p><br /></p><p>I also attached a poll so everyone can judge if my theory is crackpot or grand.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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