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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;philologus_1, post: 24708700, member: 92212&quot;]My fave Licinius II . . .</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1579003[/ATTACH]</p><p>Licinius II Caesar AD 317-324, AE Follis (21mm, 2.88 gram) </p><p>Ticinum AD 319-20</p><p>Obv.: LICINIVS IVN NOB C; Laur., dr. and cuir. bust r.</p><p>Rev.: VIRTVS EXERCIT; in ex, TT; in l. field, “christogram”; Vexillum inscribed VOT/X, two captives std. on either side.</p><p>Attrib.: RIC 120 (officina unattested). Drösser p. 18, fig. 6 (this coin).</p><p>Ex Schulten 1988, lot 1172 and collection Wolfgang Drösser, published in W. Drösser, “Christus auf Münzen – in Zeichen, Worten und Bildern: Rom, Byzanz und Axum” (Brühl, Duitsland, 2011).</p><p><br /></p><p>The symbol in the reverse left field also appears on coins of Siscia and Aquileia of the same period. It resembles a Chi-Rho, and is identified as such in RIC, but the P seems more as a vertical stroke topped by a pellet. This could lead credence to it being an intentional Iota-Chi such as is known to exist on other ancient coinage. (An Iota-Chi consists of the &quot;initials&quot; for Jesus Christ in Greek.) Admittedly, this is an unprovable theory -- as is the theory of it being a Chi-Rho as RIC cites. It could also be a mere decoration, but the location of it would seem to denote some significance beyond decorative.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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