![Constantinian coin photo [Constantinian coin photo]](A835oa.jpg)
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.
![Constantine coin photo [Constantine coin photo]](A811rb.jpg)
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
![Licinius coin photo [Licinius coin photo]](A689ra.jpg)
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.
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]
314 AD
* Skirmish between forces of Constantine & Licinius
at Cibalae in October (mutually resolved).
*
Exergue MLL, MLN, MSL mint marks
introduced [3]
![Constantinian coin photo [Constantinian coin photo]](A791ra.jpg)
IMP CONSTANTINVS AVG
....................................... SOLI INVIC -- TO COMITI
Constantine I (RIC)
MLL Mint mark issue (314 - 315 AD)
RIC Volume VII (London) No. 27
![Constantinian coin photo [Constantinian coin photo]](A793ra.jpg)
IMP CONSTANTINVS AVG
....................................... SOLI INVIC -- TO COMITI
Constantine I (RIC)
MLN Mint mark issue (315 - 316 AD)
RIC Volume VII (London) No. 43
![Constantinian coin photo [Constantinian coin photo]](A799ra.jpg)
CONSTANTINVS P AVG
....................................... SOLI INVIC -- TO COMITI
Constantine I (RIC)
MSL Mint mark issue (316 AD)
RIC Volume VII (London) No. 76
315 AD
* Tensions between Constantine and Licinius continue
accompanied by mutual distrust.
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.
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]
318 AD
*
End of SOLI INVICTO COMITI reverses
- the last depiction of a pagan god on Roman
coins.
320 AD
*
Exergue PLON mint mark
introduced [6]
![Constantinian coin photo [Constantinian coin photo]](A865ra.jpg)
CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C
....................................... CAESARVM NOSTRORVM
Constantine II (RIC)
PLON Mint mark issue (324 AD)
RIC Volume VII (London) No.
292
321 AD
* Licinius refuses to accept Crispus and Constantine II
as Consuls for the year.
* A new rift between Licinius and Constantine
develops.
322 AD
* Constantine is involved in war with Samartia and is
accused by Licinius of violating his territory.
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.
325 AD
* Exiled in Thessalonica, Licinius is accused of plotting
against Constantine and is executed.
*
The London Mint ceases operation and
is closed.
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)
![Constantinian coin photo [Constantinian coin photo]](A812ra.jpg)
IMP CONSTANTINVS P AVG
....................................... SOLI INVIC -- TO COMITI
Constantine I (RIC)
RIC Volume VII (London) No. 8
![Constantinian coin photo [Constantinian coin photo]](A849ra.jpg)
CRISPVS NOB CAES
....................................... SOLI INVIC -- TO COMITI
Crispus (RIC)
Flavius Julius Crispus
Caesar: 316-326 AD
RIC Volume VII (London) No.
122
![Constantinian coin photo [Constantinian coin photo]](A870ra.jpg)
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
![Constantinian coin photo [Constantinian coin photo]](A883ra.jpg)
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
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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