Author Topic: some numismatic evidence of the Civil War after the death of Constantine I  (Read 2645 times)

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Offline Victor

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After the death of Constantine on 22 May 337, there was an interregnum of some three months before his three sons were proclaimed Augusti on 9 Sept 337. It was during these three months that "The Great Massacre" occurred, when most of the other male members of Constantine's family and their supporters were killed.

R.W. Burgess wrote an article about this event and talked about how coinage at Rome reflected what was happening. He mainly talked about the SECVRITAS REI PVB which he said Constans had issued because he wanted the citizens to believe that the security of the Empire had been protected by the massacre.




"The only exactly contemporary evidence we have for the events of 337 has, with one exception, never been analyzed, and that is the coinage. This is unfortunate, because the coins struck between the beginning and the end of 337 are of great importance in helping to put certain aspects of the literary sources into a sharper focus and a more accurate context"  Burgess pg 21

The above quote comes from the article linked to below. Burgess has a good point, but while pointing out how numismatics has been overlooked for details of this period, he also overlooks some numismatic evidence.




There are two commemorative types that I believe also reference the civil war.







The first is a Constantinopolis coin which is different from all others for two reasons-- because it has a reverse legend of VICTORIA AVG while the normal type is anepigraphic and it also depicts Victory with a wreath and palm branch instead of the regular sceptre and shield. I believe that the reverse legend coupled with the new attributes of Victory are meant to reassure the citizens of Rome- Constantine's children were victorious (the legend VICTORIA and the wreath) but now the Empire is at peace (the palm branch).



The second type is an VRBS ROMA that has added BEATA to the end, so it is now blessed city of Rome. Once again, this is reassurance for the people of Rome that all is well.


This is all conjecture, but I think it is the only explanation for these two unusual coins that were only struck at Rome in very limited numbers during the period after the death of Constantine.



Burgess, R.W. THE SUMMER OF BLOOD. The "Great Massacre of 337 and the Promotion of the Sons of Constantine. Dumbarton Oaks Papers 62, 2008.


Woods, David. Numismatic Evidence and the Succession to Constantine I. Numismatic Chronicle 171 (2011): 187- 196.



http://www.constantinethegreatcoins.com/articles/