Late Roman Bronze Coins
Coin talk => Late Roman Bronze coins => Topic started by: Victor on July 25, 2013, 02:38:18 PM
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This is one a bit rough, but it has what many call a Chi-Rho on the reverse in the left field. This should probably be called an Iota-Chi, rather than a Chi-Rho, since it looks very little like the Greek Rho and more like an Iota combined with a Chi. On some examples there is a bit of roundness to the top of the Iota, but not enough to call the symbol a Rho. The second picture is another example that has more detail.
Constantine I
A.D. 320
18mm 2.4gm
CONSTANTINVS AVG; Helmeted, cuirassed
VIRTVS-EXERCIT; Standard inscribed VOT/XX with captive seated on ground on either side. Stylized Chi-Rho in left field.
In ex. AQP
RIC VII Aquileia 58
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I recently got an example for Licinius I from Thessalonica and the symbol in the left field looks more like a stylized star. Each of the six ends is rounded a bit, with the top perhaps more pronounced.
Licinius I
A.D. 320
18mm 3.2gm
IMP LI-CINIVS AVG; Helmeted and cuirassed bust right.
VIRTVS-EXERCIT; [Valor of the army] Standard inscribed VOT/XX with captive seated on ground on either side, in left field Chi-Rho.
in ex. dot TS dot A dot
RIC VII Thessalonica 82
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Of course it isn't a chi-rho but possibly the monogram chi-iota.
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But would the Iota-Chi meaning be appropriate to Licinius?
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But would the Iota-Chi meaning be appropriate to Licinius?
Not in a Christian sense, but if it is an Iota-Chi (which I doubt, I think it is most likely a star) it might be used for some other reason than religious, like the Chi-Rho used on 3rd century B.C. bronzes of Ptolemy.
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I just got another example. I am starting to think more and more that the symbol is a stylized interpretation of a star, stars are very common on late Roman bronze coins and the simplest answer may just be the right one.
Licinius II
A.D. 319- 320
18x19mm 2.7gm
LICINIVS IVN NOB C; Laureate, draped, Victory on globe in right hand, mappa in left hand.
VIRTVS-EXERCIT; Standard inscribed VOT/XX with captive seated on ground on either side, in left field Iota-Chi.
in ex. TT
RIC VII Ticinum 119
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Here is an Aquileia Crispus with this so called chi-iota symbol.
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Hi all,
This symbol is interesting. The historian Alfoldi understood the account by Lactantius to be a chi-rho that was hastily painted on the soldiers shields so as to look more like an iota-chi. The die engravers would have had more time to get it right I would think. Another possibility is that the symbol stood for Jesus Christ, in Greek Iesos Xristos (spelling?). The iota-chi symbol for Christ is found on a few late Roman tomb inscriptions of Christians. According to Eusebius whose account I assume to be biased, Constantine entrusted fifty soldiers to care for his chi-rho standard and Licinius was afraid to attack Constantine's soldiers where the standard was located (Life of Constantine). We may never know for certain the exact meaning of this symbol on these issues. We could easily conclude this symbol as a simple star if it weren't for the possibility it has Christian meaning. Back in 2003 I wrote an article for The Celator about these symbols. I hadn't read it for years so I reread it this morning, refreshed my mind on the subject. Attached are two of my coins. My Constantine with chi-rho on helmet is one of my favorites in my collection. It's pretty rare. I've only seen two or three for sale. Mark
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Hello Mark, welcome to the forum. I remember your Celator article well and believe that I still have that issue. Thanks for posting your VLPP with the chi- rho, that was really a great buy on that one.
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Hi Victor,
I forgot to add that there's a rare Ticinum issue of Constantine II (RIC 129) with iota-chi in left field and an obvious star in right field. Makes me think the iota-chi is something other than a star. I saw another rare coin type on ebay about two years ago. I won the bid but it was lost in the mail, darn. The seller refunded my sixteen bucks. It's a Constantinopolis with rev two soldiers and chi-rho standard. I hadn't seen one of these before. It's in rough shape but here it is, wherever it ended up...
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I forgot to add that there's a rare Ticinum issue of Constantine II (RIC 129) with iota-chi in left field and an obvious star in right field. Makes me think the iota-chi is something other than a star.
If that issue exists, then it would definitely preclude the possibility that the symbol might be a star; however Bruun could not find examples of that mark, but included it anyway. The problem I see with positively saying this is an iota-chi is that it does not look exactly right and it seems that engravers would have known how to make the symbol. Maybe an engraving error at one mint, but it seems odd to have this same symbol engraved similarly across all the mints that produced coins with this field mark. Of course, I don't believe that it couldn't be a Christogram, only that it is an exceptionally strange way to portray it, if it is indeed one, so I like to keep my mind open to other possibilities. Perhaps there is even significance to the fact that this mark appears only on the VIRTVS EXERCIT type.
It's a Constantinopolis with rev two soldiers and chi-rho standard.
That is a shame about your coin.
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Hello all,
I thought I'd comment about a coin I posted earlier and post it again. It's unlisted in RIC and I've seen just a few for sale. It's from Siscia with mint mark ESIS*, seems to be a star as part of the mint mark. The left field symbol iota-chi or maybe primitive chi-rho does not look like a star to me. We may never know for sure but in my humble opinion this symbol is something other than a star. I assume this coin was struck around 320 like the others of this type. The Battle of the Melvian Bridge where Constantine I supposedly saw the vision of Christ's symbol took place in 312 as I remember. The Edict of Milan giving Christians more freedom to worship without persecution was made in 313. Both Constantine I and Licinius I agreed to this edict so they were both aware of the growing faith of Christianity. The great Church Council at Nicaea (Nicene Creed) was in 325. This period of Roman history is interesting in terms of how the empire was already gradually shifting from polytheism to monotheism. If this IX symbol meant Christ it would have been no big deal to many Romans, just another god among all the gods. I can imagine the mints being ordered to strike this symbol and the engravers saying "ho hum just Constantine's favorite god." Of course by the time the chi-rho was being struck late in Constantine's reign there is no doubt as to its meaning. I cannot think of any other meanings for the iota-chi symbol other than a very unusual star or a symbol for Christ. When someone living at the time, Lactantius, specifically states this is what Christ's symbol looked like on the soldier's shields it is not too far a leap in logic to think this stylized Christ symbol was also placed on the coins. This reverse does have a military theme with the banner and captives. Imagine hundreds if not thousands of soldiers carrying their spears and shields with this symbol. What a sight. I'm not one hundred percent convinced the iota-chi is a Christ symbol but I lean that way more than it being an odd looking star.
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Interesting development.
On the other hand, the star of six rays is an already non-Christian known symbol on Roman coins for centuries. So, would it have been recognized by the common man as an already common known/seen symbol or as an already seen symbol with a new meaning?
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Thanks Genio for posting your Republican coins. You are right, the three intersecting lines star had been used before just as the chi-rho. I think the four lines star was more common during the Constantinian era. Other than part of the mint mark and this VIRTVS series, any more examples out there of three lines stars during Constantine's time? I think some of the Roma/she-wolf twins type have three lines stars.
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Other than part of the mint mark and this VIRTVS series, any more examples out there of three lines stars during Constantine's time?
The VLPP series frequently have six rayed stars in the fields of the helmet. A few examples below, note that the ends are usually rounded-
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Hi Victor,
Yes of course, these six pointed stars on Constantine's helmet are common. In Kenneth Jacob's book Coins and Christianity he says these are Chi-Rho symbols, p. 42. I think they are just stars. Not enough variation in the vertical line to convince me these represent letters.
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In Kenneth Jacob's book Coins and Christianity he says these are Chi-Rho symbols, p. 42.
I have seen others try to make this claim also... most frequently on Ebay ::). There is no way that these stars are Chi-Rho's. Besides the fact that some VLPP's have a Chi-Rho in the center (like the example that you posted earlier) with stars on either side, sometimes the stars are eight pointed. Jacob also claimed that the POP ROMANVS bridge over a river type issued circa A.D. 330 represented Constantine's victory at the Milvian bridge, which I do not believe either.
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I just got an example for Constantine II from Ticinum and the symbol on this one looks like a proper Chi, but the vertical part still does not look like an Iota; but this one looks much closer to a correct Iota-Chi.
Constantine II
A.D. 319- 320
21mm 2.7gm
CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C; Laureate, draped, Victory on globe in right hand, mappa in left hand.
VIRTVS-EXERCIT; Standard inscribed VOT/XX with captive seated on ground on either side, in left field Iota-Chi.
in ex. TT
RIC VII Ticinum 121
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Nice symbol on your Constantine II coin. Looks a bit more than a star to me, perhaps letters iota-chi,chi-iota, like the Lactantius account of Constantine's vision/dream. Lactantius died about 320. As we know, some examples look like just a star, no dot above. I'm posting a few photos of our star, the sun with rays and halo. Sometimes with the right conditions really nice rays and halos can be seen with the sun. Sun worship goes way back in human history with many cultures, Aztecs, Egyptians, Romans (Sol), etc. The nimbus, halo, was used as a sign of the divine, the heavenly. I'm now wondering if this symbol on these VIRTVS EXERCIT coins is not just any star but of our own sun. Constantine's vision was supposedly of Christ's sign appearing on or above the sun, so showing the sun's rays with a dot above may have been referring to this vision. It's fun to speculate. Blending the idea this symbol is both a star, our sun, and a Christian symbol portraying Constantine's vision, is worth consideration. This could explain the variations of the symbol from the mints. By the time Eusebius wrote Life Of Constantine, Constantine's vision had changed from the Lactantius iota-chi account to the chi-rho symbol. It seems the first account symbol didn't last long and was replaced by the true chi-rho.
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Constantine's vision was supposedly of Christ's sign appearing on or above the sun, so showing the sun's rays with a dot above may have been referring to this vision.
Peter Weiss wrote an article about how the vision might have been a solar halo called a sun dog. It is a good article if you have not read it- "The Vision of Constantine." Journal of Roman Archaeology 16 (2003) : 237-59.
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I have not read this article but I found a discussion about it on FORUM ANCIENT COINS. Weiss may indeed be correct. Constantine's Ticinum silver medallion with chi-rho on helmet was struck around 315 and the Siscia bronzes with chi-rho on helmet were struck around 319. It seems then the reverse symbol on the VIRTVS EXERCIT series of 320 would not be a stylized chi-rho since the chi-rho had already been used. More likely they are just stars or a symbol of Constantine's sun vision which he later interpreted to be a sign of Christ.
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What an idiot :o , I was a few weeks ago at the Cluny Therms Museum ( http://www.musee-moyenage.fr/) in Paris to see "live" some of my prefered ancient artefacts, particularly Ariana ivory and Areobindus's ivory dyptich and the red light in my brain has not flashed. It just did today. I have just remembered that the Barberini Ivory which is in Louvre Museum shows on its upper panel three well known symbols on the Siscia coinage: the half sun, the crescent and the star and what a star, a six rays one. So, we can reasonably think it is a representation that belongs to the celestial symbols like moon and sun (note that the discussion is note totally closed as they are framing Christ :) ).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barberini_ivory
Note also barbarians on central and lower panels. ;)
Areobindus and Ariana
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I have just remembered that the Barberini Ivory which is in Louvre Museum shows on its upper panel three well known symbols on the Siscia coinage: the half sun, the crescent and the star
Thanks for uploading the images. It must be nice to be able to see these in person, I have only seen them in a book.
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A real opportunity, indeed, which unfortunately, not much Europeans are aware of and / or involved with.
In fact, the real chance is that in each little town, provided there is a museum (and there is often), there is always something interesting or very interesting to see. You don't have to cross the country to see some ancient artefacts. I will share some pictures of a very little museum of a little town (60k inhabitants) to illustrate this.
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This coin solve the mistery ;)
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Hi, I'm new here.
Here is my example VIRTVS EXERCIT with "Chi-Rho" in field.
Constantine II. Ticinum 2
I'm not an expert with RIc but I believe it's RIC VII Ticinum 126.
Best regards, Ignacio.
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Hello Ignacio and welcome. Yes, you are right that your coin is Ticinum 126 and thank you for posting your example.
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Nikko, the "iota-chi" and star do look different on your coin. That is interesting.
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I just won this on eBay. I was interested in it because it talks about the sun dog or solar halo phenomenon mentioned above. It is a page from an incunable, which is a book printed before 1501.
page CCIII from the German edition of Hartmann Schedel's Nuremberg Chronicle, printed by Anton Koberger in Nuremberg, Germany, in December of 1493.
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nice page!
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I saw this quote and thought it was pertinent to this topic.
There is primary evidence from the late 2nd century or early 3rd century which perhaps shows how iota was already associated with Jesus. A quote from Clement of Alexandria, who died in A.D. 215. This is part of his commentary on Luke 16. See “the iota of Jesus” part.
“Perhaps by the iota and tittle His righteousness cries, ‘If ye come right unto Me, I will also come right to you; but if you are crooked, I also will come crooked, saith the Lord of hosts;’ intimating that the ways of sinners intricate and crooked. For the way right and agreeable to nature which is intimated by the iota of Jesus, is his Goodness, which constantly directs those who believe from hearing. ‘There shall not, therefore, pass from the law one iota or one tittle,’ neither from the right and good the mutual promises, nor from the crooked and unjust the punishment assigned to them.” Clement of Alexandria Fragments pg 578
For more on Clement
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clement_of_Alexandria#Theological_works
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doing a folder cleanout and I found this example which I figured I should post. This symbol looks even less like a chi-rho.
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Hello everybody. I'm a newbie here, and French speacking individual... So please forgive my english in advance...
I totally agree with your comments about the iota-chi. The chi-rho is obvious on the VRBS ROMA type:
https://www.nummus-bible-database.com/monnaie-52488.htm
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welcome aboard zafeu.
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I just got this Constantine I example...I can't get a decent picture of it though.
Constantine I
A.D. 320
17x18mm 1.8g
CONSTAN-TINVS AVG; Helmeted and cuirassed bust right.
VIRTVS-EXERCIT; Standard inscribed VOT/XX with captive seated on ground on either side, in left field Chi-Rho.
in ex. AQP
RIC VII Aquileia 58