I just got this awesome addition to my Carthage collection. There are several reasons why it is special. 1. It's Constantine as Caesar. Maxentius was trying to ally with Constantine by issuing coins for him; though he was merely awarded the title of Caesar. Maxentius also gave Constantine the last workshop, reserved for most junior. It was also during this issue that Maxentius changed his title to Augustus. So this issue was actually a bit of an insult to Constantine, meant to remind him he was most junior. 2. this series (H-ER) is tough to find...RIC says it is "rare to very rare" 3. The reverse legend for this type changes from FELIX ADVENT AVGG NN to CONSERVATOR AFRICAE SVAE 4. The fields have H ER which stands for Hercules. The three rulers represented in this series were Maximianus, Maxentius and Constantine; who were all in the family of Hercules. None of these coins were struck for Maximinus; who was in the family of Jupiter. Constantine I A.D. 306-307 27mm 9.4g FL VAL CONSTANTINVS NOB CAES; laureate head right. CONSERVATOR AFRICAE SVAE; Africa standing facing, head left, in long drapery with elephant- skin head-dress, right holding standard, left tusk, at feet to left lion with captured bull, in right field I.; H-ER across fields. In ex. Δ RIC VI Carthage 55
That's a special coin, Victor. So much to learn from a single artifact, and kudos for knowing how and why it tells a unique story.
You know, as I think out loud about that reverse legend for Constantine, it seems quite odd. I would translate it as “the protector of his Africa.“ But as far as I know, Constantine never set foot in that province. Of course, perhaps it’s just a conventional recycling of the legend for Maxentius. Or Maxentius is characterizing Africa as “Constantine’s” in that he is suggesting they share rule over the province with Maxentius of course being the Augustus. I don’t know if there’s a logic to be found explaining a relationship between the reverse legend and Constantine himself, or if it’s just a coin type for Maxentius that he also decided to strike for Constantine, logic be d*mned.
It's a similar concept that this reverse implemented with the old legend of FELIX ADVENT AVGG NN. Each member of the Tetrarchy (Diocletian, Maximianus, Constantius I and Galerius) had this type struck for them; but the only one that actually made a FELIX ADVENT was Maximianus.
I have a coin much like the coin in the first post, but a little different in field marks: FL VAL CONSTANTINVS NOB CAES CONSERVATOR AFRICAE SVAE Africa standing front, head left, holding standard in right and elephant tusk in left. Tiny lion on bull, at feet left. SE F across fields (The OP coin had "H ER") Δ (shaped almost like "II") RIC Carthage 58 "c. early 307" (The OP coin was from the previous issue, Carthage 55)
here's are my Carthage 61's. The officina is Δ rather than A though. The workshops were arranged according to seniority, and since Maxentius was making the call on who was senior, Constantine was last.
