Constantine I SOL from Lyon with wolf and twins on shield

[Victor]

I just picked this coin up. A fancy bust, with wolf and twins on the shield and from what I can make out, Victories on the helmet. In A.D. 315, Constantine was consul for the 4th time.

We have talked on this forum about whether Constantine was actually in Lyon during this period, but I was skeptical. I have changed my mind, since I re-read RIC and think that Bruun certainly made the point strongly. So, this coin, and others with special obverse legends and busts, probably reflects an actual visit of Constantine to the city, sometime in 315.


Constantine I
A.D. 315
18x19mm     3.1g
IMP CONSTANTINVS AVG; laureate helmet and cuirassed bust left, shield with wolf and twins on left, Victory on globe in right.
SOLI INVIC-TO COMITI; Sol stdg. left, raising r. hand, globe in l.; chlamys across l. shoulder; across fields T/F.
in ex. PLG
RIC VII Lyons 22; Bastien 553

[Heliodromus]

Nice bust type!

Depeyrot's Monnaies D'Or chronology has firm dates (from Theodosian Code ?) for Constantine in Trier on Jan 1st 315, then in Rome by Jun 22nd 315, so it does seem natural that he would have passed through Lyons on the way, and Depeyrot does have a "Spring 315" entry for Lyons that he likely just deduced. The mass of special busts/legends at Lyons does seem to strongly support it.

From Lyons Constantine may have entered NW Italy via Susa, same as in 312 AD, but then presumably took a more direct route to Rome, likely down the west coast Via Aurelia. In 312 he'd instead crossed northern Italy to Aquileia (via Milan, Verona), then down east coast to Rimini where he picked up the Via Flamina which took him cross-country all the way to Rome.

[Victor]

Bastien, though, disagrees with Bruun about Constantine being in Lyon in 315. I am trying to work through the French to see if I can understand exactly why.

[Heliodromus]

Given the geography (Alps!) and available roman roads, there were only a few ways to cross into Italy:

1) Via Cottia per Alpem, coming in from NW near Susa, Italy (312 AD route)
2) Via Franigena, coming in from NW near Aosta, Italy
3) Via Iulia per Alpem, coming in from north near Chiavenna, Italy

For either of the first two, it would seem a bit perverse NOT to have visited nearby Lyons.

As-the-crow-flies the nothern 3) Via Iulia per Alpem would have been more direct from Trier, but I don't know what roman roads existed in Gaul. There must have been a reason he chose to come in via Susa in 312 AD. Anyways, he was coming to celebrate, not in any rush. He spent at least 3 months in Rome, since Depeyrot has him still there in late September. So, one might ask why would he not have chosen to visit Lyons on the way. Presumably roads were good between Trier and Lyons, both being major cities.

[Victor]

Undoubtedly he could have passed through Lyon, that doesn't mean he really visited! He might have stopped for a meal, bit of a rest and maybe a bath, then moved on, without much interaction. That might explain why the mint there issued so many different types for so long...trying to butter him up for a proper visit. I think that is the crux of Bastien's disagreement with Bruun, that Lyon issued special types associated with the office of Consul for too long to reflect actual time spent in the city.

[Heliodromus]

That's possible, but if that's Bastien's argument it doesn't seem to hold much water. I agree it's unlikely that the T-F and TF-star issues would both have been made during a single imperial visit, even an official more than a bite-to-eat one, but it seems quite possible the T-F issue dates to his presence in spring, and the TF-star maybe to July on the date of his anniversary.

It would seem more unlikely that Lyons would go all-out numismatically after getting stiffed on the visit, or that neither issue dates to the actual anniversay (i.e both were very early in the year, trying to butter him up while travel plans had not yet been finalized). I'd expect that for such an occasion travel plans were made well ahead of time, but who knows!

[Victor]

Bastien also talks about how Trier and London issued consular busts. I am probably missing some of his nuances.

[Heliodromus]

Where does Bastien dscuss this?

[Victor]

It is in "Le monnayage de l 'atelier de Lyon - De la réforme monétaire de Dioclétien à la fermeture temporaire de l 'atelier en 316 (294-316)" pg 73- 75

I forgot to mention that this coin had been offered to me through an email exchange about two months ago. I thought it was a little pricey and when he told me he would put it up for auction, I decided to wait. This time it worked out in my favor. Below is the original picture...the auction photo looks pretty flat.

[Heliodromus]

Thanks.

Yes - looks better in that photo. I guess the auction houses use the same lighting setup for all coins (or minimal adjustment, perhaps?), which doesn't suit them all.

Always gratifying when prices work out like that!

[Nikko]

It comes from a recent Naumann auction (102). It was in a nice group lot sold for 900€.
It has been cleaned but, IMHO, it was nicer with the original deposits.

[Victor]

Thanks for the info...I bid on 8 lots in that auction; but seem to have completely missed that one.

[Heliodromus]

I'd missed it too. It was actually Naumann 101.1193

Here it is hacked out of the group photo.

[Victor]

I would have lost it even if I saw it. In auction 101 my 5 bids were not put in by sixbid...my fault, I guess, for not noticing I never got a confirmation email. Well, it worked out well for me this time.

[Heliodromus]

A fancy bust, with wolf and twins on the shield and from what I can make out, Victories on the helmet.

There seems to be a wreath as the central decoration on the helmet, but not clear what's on either side of it.

Here's another specimen (only other one I've seen) from same obverse die, that sold on eBay in 2007. It was part of a hoard out of France.