During the first few months after the death of the Roman emperor, Constantine I (the Great), his three sons -Constantine II, Constantius II and Constans- conspired to purge most the remaining members of their family and consolidate their power. They murdered their half-cousins -Hanniballianus and Delmatius- as Constantine I had elevated them to Caesar along with his three sons, and on 9 September 337, jointly claimed the title of Augustus. After the purge, the Roman Empire was divided between the three Augusti: Constantine II took the territories in the West (Gaul, Britain, Spain and the westernmost part of North Africa). Constantius II ruled over Asia Minor, and annexed Pontus and Armenia that were led by Hanniballianus. Constans, the youngest of the three brothers, controlled Italy and Illyria, and took over the Balkan territories previously under Delmatius. The very inequitable division of the empire immediately caused tensions, and Constantine II demanded Constans give him Italy and North Africa. Constans refused. In 340, Constantine II declared war on him, but was killed in battle soon after the conflict began. What started out as six joint rulers under Constantine I (including Constantine's eldest son, Crispus, who was wrongfully put to death in 326), was now left to only two - Constans ruling all of the West, with the East still under Constantius II. ------------------------------ Post those coins to commemorate this week in history!!
Hannibalianus, AE4, 336-337 AD, Constantinople, als Rex regum unter Constantine I. 1.6g, 14mm OBV: FL HANNIBALLIANO REGI, bare-headed, draped, cuirassed bust right. REV: SE-CVRITAS PVBLICA, Euphrates seated right on ground, holding sceptre, overturned urn at his side, from which waters flow, reed in background. Mintmark CONSS. REF: RIC VII Constantinople 147.
Crispus AE3. 320-321 AD. Siscia mint, 3.4g, 19mm OBV: IVL CRISPVS NOB C. Laureate head right. REV: CAESARVM NOSTRORVM around laurel wreath containing VOT V, ASIS star in ex. REF: RIC VII Siscia 161
Ah Gil, I see you took over posting "This Week" from Vcoins. Good on ya. Keep it up. CONSTANTINE II AE Follis OBVERSE: CONSTANTI-NVS IVN NC, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust left REVERSE: BEATA TRAN-QVILLITAS, globe on altar inscribed VOT / IS / XX, three stars above, PLON in ex. Struck at London 323-324 AD 2.5g, 19mm RIC VII 284 CONSTANS AE2 OBVERSE: D N CONSTANS P F AVG - Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust left, holding globe REVERSE: FEL TEMP REPARATIO, Constans standing left holding chi-rho banner in right and resting left on shield, two bound captives wearing Phrygian helmets standing to left, ASIS in ex Struck at Siscia 348-350 AD 3.93g, 20mm RIC VIII 224 CONSTANTIUS II AE3 OBVERSE: DN CONSTANTIVS PF AVG, pearl diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right REVERSE: FEL TEMP REPARATIO, Emperor holding labarum and phoenix, standing on galley piloted by Victory. Mintmark BSIS [symbol 2] (like a retrograde R) 2.20g, 18 mm RIC VIII 243
Sorry I did not ask before posting. I wasn't sure so I just posted it. You can continue posting them next week or whenever they post one again. I think they wasn't posting them in the mail for awhile.
No, no. Please feel free to post these. I was getting tired of posting them when they were sending them out regularly. I'm glad they started again. Good info. So I will be waiting to see your next installment!
Well, they'd stopped sending them out, hadn't they? (I noticed that I got one in my e-mail today and I immediately thought of Bing) ... => but I laughed when brother Gil-galad stepped-up and beat Bing to the punch (well played, brother) First come, first serve!! (I'm just glad that these threads are back!! => they're always a lot of quick-posting fun) Cheers fellas (I hope that all of you guys are having a great Saturday Night!!) Ummm, I spotted "4" ancient coin opportunities: Constantine I => with doors Constantine II => with doors Constantius II => with doors Constans => with a very cool ol' bird!!
I wish VCoins had provided a link rather than just sending the whole as an email so we could share the link rather than copying the text. They are, after all, trying to sell the coins shown in their mailing and someone here just might buy them. I have posted way too many CSII and friends before but will offer again my favorite Delmatius. Thessalonika with the A option in his name.
I could post a lot in this thread - Constantine Dynasty coins were my first love as far as ancients go, and I continue to collect quite a few. Going back one generation, however: it started with these two, the parents of Constantine the Great, Constantius Chlorus and Helena...
They were certainly a nasty dy-nasty.... *cough* CRISPUS AE3. 3.4g, 18.5mm Lyons mint, 322 - 323 AD RIC VII 166 O: CRISPVS-NOB CAES, laureate head right. R: BEATA TRAN-QVILLITAS, globe on altar inscribed VO-TIS-XX, three stars above. C - R across fields. Mintmark PLG. CONSTANTINE II AE3 2.2g, 18.5mm Lyons mint, 322 AD RIC 205 O: D N CONSTANTINO IVN N C, laureate head right. R: BEATA TRAN-QVILLITAS, globe on altar inscribed VOT-IS-XX, three stars above. Mintmark PLG
Constantine I AE3. 319 AD. Arles mint, 3.0g, 18mm OBV: IMP CONSTA-NTINVS AVG Laureate created helmeted & cuirassed bust right. REV: VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP, two Victories facing & inscribing VOT PR on shield placed on plain altar, PARL in ex. REF: RIC VII Arles 191
Constantine II AE3. 320-321 AD. Aquileia mint, 2.5g, 17mm OBV: CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB. Laureate, draped & cuirassed bust right, seen from behind. REV: CAESARVM NOSTRORVM, VOT V in wreath, dot in badge at top of wreath. AQT dot in ex. REF: RIC VII Aquileia 95v
Constans AE Centenionalis. 348-350 AD. 2.8g, 18mm OBV: D N CONSTANS P F AVG, Draped and cuirassed bust right. REV: FEL TEMP REPARATIO, Constans standing left on galley, holding phoenix and labarum, piloted by Victory. TESB in ex. REF: RIC VIII Thessalonica 120
Constantius II AE3. 334-335 AD, Siscia mint, 2.3g, 19mm OBV: FL IVL CONSTANTIVS NOB C. Laureate, cuirassed bust right. REV: GLORIA EXERCITVS, Two soldiers flanking two standards, dot GSIS dot in ex. REF: RIC VII Siscia 237, LRBC 756.
