VIRTVS AVGGG (Constantine 313 AD victory type)

[Heliodromus]

This is the eBay "consolation prize" I recently mentioned, and just received yesterday.

 

The reverse type is unlisted, although known from a handful of specimens. The Not In RIC site shows four specimens all from this same reverse die, three for Constantine (2 dies/busts), and one for Maximinus II. My coin is a double die match to the Not In RIC (ex. Lanz) Maximinus II coin.

Although not in RIC, the type was (first?) published in 1959 in "Numizmatičke vijesti", the news journal of the Croatian Numismatic Society, where Ivan Meixner (then president of the society) discussed a specimen from the Stoca hoard. I can't find any other information about this hoard, but am guessing it was from Croatia, although the only similar name I can find is "Gornja Stoca" in what is now Bosnia. The type was mentioned again in a 1969 follow-up article in the same journal, where Meixner now noted the type having been omitted by RIC VI (published a couple of years earlier).

Apart from the AVGGG legend, the reverse type has a couple of interesting features:

1) The emperor on horseback is nimbate! This is the only time Constantine is to be found nimbate on a bronze coin, although there are the facing nimbate solidi from Ticinum a few years later. At this date I'd interpret this as a solar reference.

2) The unfortunate about-to-be-speared fallen enemy on the right is holding a rectangular scutum shield, which would appropriately identify him as a member of the roman army, since this was a civil war.

This type nicely pairs with another equally rare victory type issued at the same time, VICTORA AVGGG (RIC VI Rome 353-354). RIC attests this type from four specimens, two in Paris and two in Vienna. I've never seen one for sale, or anywhere else ... apart from this one that I also bought on eBay a couple of years ago ! 

 

I havn't seen the Paris coins, but both Vienna coins are a reverse die link to mine, and their RIC 354 is also an obverse die link), so each of these AVGGG types may have only used one or two dies.

It's notable how rare all the "Milvian victory" types are, perhaps due to this being a civil war where crowing over your fallen fellow citizens would not be well looked upon!

[Victor]

congrats on your new treasure.

[Heliodromus]

Thanks! 

[Lech Stępniewski]

Nice coins! Congratulations! BTW this thread reminds me that I should rework the old description of VIRTVS... type.

[Lech Stępniewski]

You are right that figure on reverse is nimbate but ironically it is clear only on better preserved Maximinus' coins (at least on specimens known to me). Probably Constantine wanted to be the one shown as nimbate but obverse suggests otherwise. This time his propagandists were not very clever.

[Heliodromus]

Thanks, Lech!

The nimbate figure (emperor) on horseback is interesting.

This type of reverse, with horseman spearing fallen enemy, is a common design, but this specific composition seems to have been copied from a Maxentian coin from Ostia, RIC VI Ostia 56. I only have a reverse picture of this type, from "Bulletin du Cercle d'Études Numismatiques".

 

What cinches this as the source are the two fallen enemy in exact same poses. The one on the left on hands and knees facing left, and the one on the right on his back holding up his scutum. The depiction of the fallen enemy as a roman soldier was also appropriate for Maxentius. Notably absent is the horseman's nimbus which must have been a deliberate addition.

Assuming the nimbus is meant as a solar attribute (we also see it earlier used for the tetrarchy in an obviously pagan context), then it would have been appropriate to Maximinus as well as Constantine, although whoever planned the coins may not have been thinking that far ahead - obverse pairings.

It's interesting to note that Maximinus appears to be emphasized on these post-Milvian types over Licinius. We might expect Licinius to be included on these "AVGGG" types, but so far we only have Maximinus, with him also appearing on the unlisted MARTI VICTORI type (Rome) and RESTITVTOR ROMAE type (Ostia). These types are all rare enough that Licinius may yet surface, or it may be Constantine compensating for the upcoming marriage of his sister to Licinius, and wanting to butter up Maximinus!

[Lech Stępniewski]

Assuming the nimbus is meant as a solar attribute (we also see it earlier used for the tetrarchy in an obviously pagan context), then it would have been appropriate to Maximinus as well as Constantine

Formally it's OK but it was Constantine who driven by "instinctu divinitatis" won the battle of the Milvian Bridge, so this solar-god sign should belong only to him.

It's interesting to note that Maximinus appears to be emphasized on these post-Milvian types over Licinius.

There is an old rule: "Keep your friends close but your enemies closer". Let the enemy think that he is regarded as a friend.

[Heliodromus]

Formally it's OK but it was Constantine who driven by "instinctu divinitatis" won the battle of the Milvian Bridge, so this solar-god sign should belong only to him.

It's hard to say exactly how the nimbus was meant to be interpreted, here or elsewhere, or even how these victory types are meant to be read. The occasion is of course Constantine's Italian victory/victories, but the reverse legends seem to be celebrating (for sake of inclusivity) the prior victories and virtus of all three emperors, so it's not obvious whether the horseback figure should be interpreted specifically as Constantine, or more generically as any of the augustii.

I was being a bit sloppy in saying the nimbus here is a solar attribute/reference. What I really meant is that it's too early for it to be Christian as such. The nimbus (originally in radiate form) obviously had solar origins, but already by the time of the tetrarchy (e.g. plomb-de-lyons, or Arras Temporvm Felicitas medallions) seems to have become a more generic indication of the spirituality or perhaps godliness of the individual depicted, the same as in eventual Christian use as the halo.

The meaning of the nimbus as more of a generic spiritual attribute rather than one indicating any specific religious belief is perhaps well matched to the (perhaps deliberately) vague "insticntu divinatis" arch legend, although I doubt the legend itself had been conceived this early. I wonder how clear Constantine's religous views were at this date (312-313 AD) anyway? Not very, I suspect... Some form of monotheism based on a "summus deus" who's identity was perhaps changing in his mind from solar to Christian.

Here's the 8-aurei Arras medallion, showing two of the tetrarchs nimbate at a sacraficial altar, with victims at their feet. Not sure if the figures are meant to be the caesars (per the exergual legend) or the augusti.

 

[Lech Stępniewski]

The meaning of the nimbus as more of a generic spiritual attribute

I agree. A sign that nimbate person is imbued with the divine power. Which manifests itself in religious ceremonies but also in victory over the enemy.

[Heliodromus]

I've found one more specimen, in the archives section of Poigsignon Numismatique. The weight is given as 4.15g. This one is from a different officina "S" reverse die, as well having an "IMP C" obverse die. What's interesting is that the horseback figure appears to be wearing a high (feather) crested helmet, rather than being nimbate.

 

 

I believe the other five coins (my Maximinus II, plus the four on Not In RIC) are all from the same officina "P" reverse die. On two of the Constantine specimens there does appear to be some remnants of the nimbus.

 

 

The Stoca hoard coin is interesting in that while it *appears* to be from same reverse die as the others, it also *appears* as if the horseback figure may be wearing a helmet. If both are true, then the die must have been recut from helmet to nimbus. It's really hard to tell given the poor photo.

 

I wonder if there's a better picture available? Does Meixner mention where the coin ended up? I did find a copy of Numizmatičke vijesti 1969 for sale online, if anyone feels inclined to buy it and see if the photo there is any better.

https://www.kupindo.com/Arheologija/41543159_NUMIZMATICKE-VIJESTI-Zagreb-1969-

I suppose showing the horseback emperor in divinely inspired nimbate form is perhaps less offensive than showing him in martial form riding down his fallen fellow citizens.

I think the number of reverse dies speaks to the rarity of the type, and we see the same thing for other Milvian-victory types. I suppose it's conceivable (although I don't suspect it) that there could have been an attempt to recall these types, but then we would still expect to see more die variety in the remaining ones, and really more surviving specimens anyway.

The massive Misurata hoard is an interesting window into this time period since it has so may coins from Rome c.313 AD. Out of 83,000 attributed coins (of 108,000 total), there are 8,600 Rome mint coins from the Constantinian 313-318 AD time period, and another 8,900 from the preceding 307-313 AD Maxentian period. Sadly the full inventory database is not available (blocked by the Libyan government), but around a dozen "unlisted or rare" coins have been published, notably not including *any* of these victory types.

Ben

[Lech Stępniewski]

Hi Ben,

very nice find. I agree that the five previous coins are from the same reverse die. It could be hard to recut fancy helmet with feathers to nimbus. Why not assume that nimbus was recut to helmet? Unfortunately, the picture of the specimen from Stoca Hoard is old, small, poor, so we can't be sure what was made (if any).

Is your old email on myrealbox.com still valid? I would like to send you all my scans of Numizmatičke vijesti. Maybe you can make something better out of these photos.

[Heliodromus]

Hi Lech,
I've sent you a PM with my e-mail address.

The reason I suggest helmet recut to nimbus, not vice versa, is because the Poinsignon coin suggests the helmet came first. The "IMP C" coins from the "RP" mark seem to come first (and the issue with star in field, plus IMP C, seems to be the earliest).

Ben

[Lech Stępniewski]

The "IMP C" coins from the "RP" mark seem to come first

You are right. I overlooked this detail. So the helmet was earlier. But I still doubt if it could be recut to nimbus.

[Heliodromus]

Thanks for the scans, Lech!

The photo from the 1969 article does seem slightly better than the 1959 one. The coin itself seems to be in excellent condition, and the horseback figure seems definitely to be wearing a helmet. From this photo it still appears to be a die match to the other officina "P" coins, as far as I can tell. A higher quality photo from the paper original might reveal a little more detail.

The article (thanks, Google translate!) specifies the hoard location as being from Trijebnje near Stolac in Herzegovina, with a find date of 1936.

There were thousands of coins in the hoard, with the majority ending up in the Archaeological museum of Zagreb, and a much smaller group of 172 coins ending up in the Archaeological museum or Sarajevo. The coins in Zagreb were described in Numizmatica II-IV, 1936.

The google translation leaves a little to be desired, but I think Meixner is saying that this VIRTVS AVGG coin is from the group in Sarajevo.

[Lech Stępniewski]

A higher quality photo from the paper original might reveal a little more detail.

A did not see the paper (scans were made by fellow numismatist) but there is a little hope that the quality of original is good enough.

I think Meixner is saying that this VIRTVS AVGG coin is from the group in Sarajevo.

Yes, so the next step is: find a numismatist from Sarajevo who will check if this VIRTVS is still there and be able to obtain a better picture.

BTW I still see rather outline of nimbus than of helmet with feathers.