ROMAN COINS OF THE LONDON MINT: 296-325 AD

Helena ............................................................ Fausta
Killingholme Hoard
Header Images - Representative Coins

CONSTANTINE & LICINIUS

Constantine (West) was co-Augustus with Licinius (East) from 313-324 AD, but it was an uneasy collaboration that involved several military confrontations that eventually ended in a decisive armed conflict between the two of them. It was Constantine who emerged victorious to become sole Augustus of the Roman Empire in 324 AD.

Initially Constantine set up his headquarters and seat of government at Trier, later (315 AD) moving it to Milan in order to be closer to the center of the political scene. Licinius intially set up his headquarters and seat of government at Nicomedia in the East.

Although in theory the Augusti had joint control of all the Imperial mints, in actuality each Augustus influenced (probably dictated?) the design and output of each mint within their geographical domain. In 317 AD Constantine unabashedly took over full control of the western mints.

IMP CONSTANTINVS AVG ....................................... SOLI INVIC -- TO COMITI
Constantine I (RIC)
Flavius Valerius Constantinus
Caesar of the West: 306-307 AD
Augustus: 307 AD
Filius Augustorum: 309 - 310 AD
Co-Augustus with Licinius: 313-324 AD
Sole Augustus: 324-337 AD
RIC Volume VII (London) No. 11

IMP LICINIVS PF AVG ....................................... GENIO -- POP ROM
Licinius I (RIC)
Flavius Valerius Licinianus Licinius
Augustus of the West: 308-313 AD
Co-Augustus with Constantine I: 313-324 AD
RIC Volume VII (London) No. 3

Chronology of Events:
This style of text is used to denote information that relates specifically to the coinage.

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313 AD
* Exergue PLN mint mark continued [1]
* Weight range starts at 3.5 grams and prevails at approx. 3 to 3.5 grams throughout this period.
* Silver content is now approx. 1% to 2% which prevails throughout this period [2]

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314 AD
* Skirmish between forces of Constantine & Licinius at Cibalae in October (mutually resolved).
* Exergue MLL, MLN, MSL mint marks introduced [3]

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IMP CONSTANTINVS AVG ....................................... SOLI INVIC -- TO COMITI
Constantine I (RIC)
MLL Mint mark issue (314 - 315 AD)
RIC Volume VII (London) No. 27

IMP CONSTANTINVS AVG ....................................... SOLI INVIC -- TO COMITI
Constantine I (RIC)
MLN Mint mark issue (315 - 316 AD)
RIC Volume VII (London) No. 43

CONSTANTINVS P AVG ....................................... SOLI INVIC -- TO COMITI
Constantine I (RIC)
MSL Mint mark issue (316 AD)
RIC Volume VII (London) No. 76

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315 AD
* Tensions between Constantine and Licinius continue accompanied by mutual distrust.

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316 AD
* "First Civil War" breaks out between Constantine and Licinius in Autumn.
* Forces of Constantine & Licinius join in battle at Campus Ardiensis in December.
* Diocletian dies of natural causes.

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317 AD
* Constantine and Licinius negotiate a peace and resume their positions as co-Augusti on 1 March.
* The three sons of the Augusti -- Crispus, Constantine II and Licinius II are appointed Caesars.
* The London Mint operation is taken over by Constantine [4]
* A whole new series of reverse depictions and inscriptions are introduced [5]

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318 AD
* End of SOLI INVICTO COMITI reverses - the last depiction of a pagan god on Roman coins.

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320 AD
* Exergue PLON mint mark introduced [6]

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CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C ....................................... CAESARVM NOSTRORVM
Constantine II (RIC)
PLON Mint mark issue (324 AD)
RIC Volume VII (London) No. 292

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321 AD
* Licinius refuses to accept Crispus and Constantine II as Consuls for the year.
* A new rift between Licinius and Constantine develops.

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322 AD
* Constantine is involved in war with Samartia and is accused by Licinius of violating his territory.

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324 AD
* "Second Civil War" breaks out between Constantine and Licinius on 3 July.
* After a series of battles, Constantine defeats Licinius at Chrysopolis on 18 September .
* Licinius flees with his son to Nicomedia where he subsequently surrenders.
* Constantine is now sole and undisputed Augustus.
* Constantine appoints his third son, Constantius II, as Caesar.
* Constantine invests his mother, Helena and wife, Fausta as Augusta.

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325 AD
* Exiled in Thessalonica, Licinius is accused of plotting against Constantine and is executed.
* The London Mint ceases operation and is closed.

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Family members of the House of Constantine:

• Constantine I (Flavius Valerius Constantinus) - Pater familias (of current generation)
• Helena (Flavia Julia Helena) - first wife of Constantius - mother of Constantine
• Fausta (Flavia Maxima Fausta) - second wife of Constantine - mother of Constantine II & Constantius II
• Crispus (Flavius Julius Crispus) - oldest son of Constantine by his first wife Minervina
• Constantine II (Flavius Claudius Constantinus) - second oldest son of Constantine by Fausta
• Constantius II (Flavius Julius Constantius) - third oldest son of Constantine by Fausta
• Constans (Flavius Julius Constans) - youngest son of Constantine by Fausta (not yet born)

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IMP CONSTANTINVS P AVG ....................................... SOLI INVIC -- TO COMITI
Constantine I (RIC)
RIC Volume VII (London) No. 8

CRISPVS NOB CAES ....................................... SOLI INVIC -- TO COMITI
Crispus (RIC)
Flavius Julius Crispus
Caesar: 316-326 AD
RIC Volume VII (London) No. 122

FL CL CONSTANTINVS IVN N C ...................... SOLI INVIC -- TO COMITI
Constantine II (RIC)
Flavius Claudius Constantinus
Caesar: 316-336 AD
Joint Augustus: 337-340 AD
RIC Volume VII (London) No. 145

FLA CONSTANTIVS NOB C ....................................... PROVIDEN -- TIAE CAESS
Constantius II (RIC)
Flavius Julius Constantius
Caesar: 324-336 AD
Joint Augustus: 337-361 AD
RIC Volume VII (London) No. 297

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Footnotes:

[1] The first coins issued in the names of Constantine and Licinius in 313 AD were marked PLN in the exergue and S (left) F (right) in the reverse field - exergue Mint marks are freqently accompanied by letters/symbols in the field of the coin reverses throughout this period (313-317 AD). PLN was superceded by the "M" series exergual mint marks in late 314 AD but reappeared in 316 AD and continued in use until 321 AD. Consult this Reference by Ken Elks for a tabulation of mint marks. (RICVII 92-96, 97, 102-109) Location in page

[2] In addition to RIC Vol. VII, an excellent reference is Victor Clark's Metallurgy of Constantinian "Bronzes" page. (RICVII 79-87) Location in page

[3] These "M" series mint marks were employed for London Mint coins 314 AD to 316 AD and only coins struck in the names of Constantine and Licinius used them. With the exception of Constantine SOLI INVICTO COMITI reverse coins issued in 315 AD - MLL & MSL in the exergue and S (left) F (right) in the reverse field - these series coins are rare to very rare, especially those issued in the name of Licinius.(RICVII 92-93, 98-102) Location in page

[4] There were always far more coins issued by the London Mint in the name of Constantine than there were for Licinius during this period (313-317 AD). Only in 313-314 AD were Licinian coins issued in quantity by the London Mint (GENIO POP ROM reverse). After Constantine took over operation of the Mint in 317 AD no more coins were issued in the name of Licinius. Most coins of Licinius had GENIO POP ROM reverses - occasionally SOLI INVICTO COMITI. (RICVII 92-93, 97-103) Location in page

[5] New reverse inscriptions include: CLARITAS REIPVBLICAE, VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP, VOT P R, eventually followed by VIRTVS EXERCIT, VOT XX, BEATA TRANQVILLITAS, BEAT TRANQLITAS, VOTIS XX, SARMATIA DEVICTA, VOT X/CAESARVM NOSTRORVM, PROVIDENTIAE AVGG/PROVIDENTIAE CAESS, SECVITAS REIPVBLICE, SALVS REIPVBLICAE. (RIC 92-96) This Reference by Ken Elks provides detailed information relating to obverse and reverse depictions and inscriptions. Location in page

[6] This exergual mint mark was employed for all London Mint coins from 320 AD (in conjunction with PLN earlier in that year) until the Mint closure in 325 AD. (RICVII 95-96, 109-116) Location in page

[7] Imperial Personages depicted on coins produced at the London Mint by the Constantinians:

Constantine (the Great) as Augustus
Licinius as Augustus
Crispus as Caesar
Constantine II as Caesar
Constantius II as Caesar
Helena as Augusta
Fausta as Augusta

Of the above personages, only Constantine I was ever physically in Britain.

Neither Constans or Licinius II were depicted on London Mint coins.

[8] The portrait depictions of Constantine II and Constantius II on London Mint Coins are products of the coin engraver's imaginations. They are both depicted as young men -- or at least teenagers -- on the obverse of coins issued upon their investiture as Caesar, when in fact Constantine II was only one year old when he was designated Caesar in 317 AD and Constantius II was only seven years old when he was designated Caesar in 324 AD

References:

• IN PRAISE OF LATER ROMAN EMPERORS (The Panegyri Latini), C. E. V. Nixon and Barbara Saylor Rodgers, University of California Press, (1995) (IPOLRE)
• THE ROMAN IMPERIAL COINAGE (RIC), Volume VII, Constantine and Licinius (AD 313-337), Patrick M. Bruun, Spink & Son Ltd, London (1967) (RICVII)
• London Mint: AD 296-325 -- a compilation by Ken Elks that includes RIC references, production dates, weight ranges, mint marks, Emperor associations and a link to his page Obverse & reverse types and legends used at the London Mint AD 296-325.
• Constantine the Great.com - Victor Clark's extensive web site.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. Include my name as original author.

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