CRISPUS the rapist (???)

a haha..kool...brings back memories eh?!.....well that's purdy neat, Brian..

 

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Crispus had a very convulated but interesting lineage/family background:

His father (Constantine) was an Emperor

His grandfather on his father’s side (Constantius I) was an Emperor

His grandfather on his step-mother’s side (Maximian Herculius - Maximianus - was an Emperor

His step-grandmother on his father’s side (Helena) was (eventually) a Saint

 

That was not the reference I was thinking of. This is it:

https://www.amazon.com/Constantine-Dynasty-Religion-Power-Empire/dp/1118782755/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Dynasty,+Religion+and+Power+in+the+Later+Roman+Empire&qid=1570412356&sr=8-1

Constantine: Dynasty, Religion and Power in the Later Roman Empire by Timothy D. Barnes.

I misremembered Barnes' hypothesis, but he argues Crispus and others were caught up in a high treason scandal organized by Fausta, who ended up killing herself so her children could inherit the empire...I think. See chapter 7. Barnes does his homework and presents a lot of primary sources. I haven't had a look at this in a couple years so any mistakes are mine. Maybe later I'll go back and take another look and write something better.

 

My favorite Crispus; also one of my favorite campgates.


CRISPUS
AE3. 3.7g, 19.1mm. Antioch mint, AD 325-326. RIC VII Antioch 64 (R2). O: FL IVL CRISPVS NOB CAES, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust left. R: PROVIDEN-TIAE CAESS, campgate with 7 layers, 2 turrets, star between; SMANTЄ in exergue.

A scarcer 'plain' vota type with no wreath.

CRISPUS
AE3. 2.97g, 18.5mm. Arles, AD 320. RIC VII Arles 220 (R3). O: CRISPVS - NOB CAES, laureate head right. R: CAESARVM NOSTRORVM around VO/TIS/V in three lines; TA in exergue below a horizontal line.

 

CRISPUS
AE3
OBVERSE: D N FL IVL CRISPVS NOB CAES Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
REVERSE: PROVIDEN TIAECAESS Jupiter stg. l., chlamys across l. shoulder, leaning on scepter, holding Victory on globe. In field to l., palm branch; in field to r., dot A; in exergue, SMN
Struck at Nicomedia 317 - 320 A.D
2.92g, 18mm
RIC VII 32

 

Interesting biographical information and some great looking Crispii (sp ?) posted here. I only have two and it has been a couple years since I attributed them, so I may have made some errors. The cruddy one from Rome is rare, I think - condition is unfortunate .



Crispus Æ 18
(318-319 A.D.) Rome Mint
CRISPVS NOB C[AES], laureate, cuirassed bust left, spear & shield front / VIRTVS AVG[G], Campgate with 6 rows, 3 turrets, closed doors, double archway, P R across fields RP in exergue
(2.38 grams / 18 mm)
RIC VII, 180 (Rarity 5).



Crispus Æ 20
(322-323 A.D.) Trier Mint
IVL CRISPVS NOB CAES, Laureate, cuirassed bust left, spear over shoulder & shield / BEATA TRANQVILLITAS altar inscribed VO/TIS/XX, globe and three stars above, •PTR• in exergue.
(2.15 grams / 20 mm)
RIC VII, 374 Trier

 

Two of my three are below. The first is a pleasant looking silvered one. The second is an unsightly but interesting example due to the rarely seen shield containing a seated victory inscribing a shield.

 

That is an interesting shield. It looks like the standard Victory inscribing shield type seen long before and after. I did not recall seeing the idea on a coin of Constantine's lifetime. There is a solidus of Constantius II rather later so I went looking and found quite an array. I only have the more common ones.
https://www.cngcoins.com/Search.asp...R_TYPE_ID_2=1&SEARCH_IN_CONTAINER_TYPE_ID_4=1
Commodus


Eudoxia

 

@dougsmit - Nice examples!

Here is a link to a nicer example of the same type as mine.
https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=145091
It hammered at $350 plus fees, which is quadruple what I paid for mine. :-o
Although mine is clearly inferior to it the CNG example shows nothing on the shield that Victory is inscribing whereas at least on mine you can kinda'-sorta' make out something.

The Cripus shield type that I badly want is the one with a Christogram on the shield. I've waited years for one to come up for sale. :-/ Here's an example:

 

One vota Crispus from Thessalonica

and one with spear and shield.

 

Another old thread revived, to give myself an opportunity to post my one coin of Crispus:

Crispus Caesar, Billon reduced Centenionalis, Arelate [Arles] Mint (3rd Officina) 321 AD. Obv. Laureate bust right, CRISPUS NOB CAES / Rev. VOT • V in three lines within laurel wreath, CAESARVM NOSTRORVM. In exergue: T [Crescent] A. RIC VII ARLES 235 (p. 260), Sear RCV IV 16747, Cohen 30. 20 mm., 2.73 g.

 

..i have 7 coins of Crispus... i found 3 more on the table recently...

 

CRISPUS
.ATR Treveri, 317-318
3,86 g - 18 mm
C91 - RIC VII 140

 

Whilst in quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic, I've been going through piles of other stuff I've collected over the years, namely old books. Though not a coin, this seems to fit this revived thread. A play by Nathaniel Lee called Constantine the Great, published in 1684 in quarto.

According to this play, Crispus and Fausta didn't get along...out of breath with kisses, but also daggers and stuff. I haven't read the whole thing, but below is an excerpt:

 

nice coin