Watch List notes:

The Roman Empire

Constantine II caesar, 317 – 337. Medallion of five siliquae, Constantinople 11 May 330, AR 17.00 g. Head r., wearing rosette diadem. Rev. D N CONSTANTINVS – MAX TRIVMF AVG Roma, turreted and draped, seated r. on throne, head facing, holding globe and sceptre; l. foot on stool. On l. of throne, shield; in exergue, M CONS S. C –. Gnecchi –. Alföldi –. Toynbee –. RIC –. Hollard, BSFN 66, 2011, p. 95, 12 (this coin).
Of the highest rarity, only the third and by far the finest specimen known. A medallion of
tremendous historical importance struck to commemorate the foundation of
Constantinopolis. An interesting portrait struck in high relief and a finely
detailed representation of Roma on the reverse. Light iridescent
tone. Virtually as struck and almost Fdc
Ex Harlan J. Berk 100, 1998, 684 and Tkalec 23, 1998, 330 sales.
This medallion was struck to commemorate the foundation of Constantinople on May 11, AD 330. Over the course of the third century it had become increasingly apparent that Rome was too far away from the borders for an Emperor to reside there and still be able to fend off the advances of Germanic peoples across the Rhine and Danube frontiers or to defend against the attacks of the Sasanian Persian Empire. Rome was also too steeped in its own history and traditions to adapt well to the novelties required by the age-such as autocratic emperors drawn from the ranks of the humble soldiery rather from the senatorial class, and Christianity, to name but two. While earlier military emperors and the Tetrarchy had tried to solve the problem by dividing up the Empire so that each tetrarch had his own territory to govern with his own capital, as sole ruler, Constantine's solution was to found a new capital on the site of the ancient Greek city of Byzantium. Its location on the Bosporus put it in close communication with the Danube frontier as well as in proximity to Syria and the frontier with the Sasanian Empire. Although Constantine certainly struck issues depicting the enthroned personification of Constantiopolis to celebrate the city foundation, this particular issue actually honours Rome rather than Constantine's new capital. It is true that the figure here is similar to depictions of Constantinopolis in that she wears a helmet, sits on a throne and holds a spear, but the presence of a shield on the ground beside her and her bared breast make it clear that the figure is intended to be Roma, the Amazonian personification of Rome. Rome appears here to show that the grandeur of her past was not forgotten as Constantine established his new city, but rather it was being transferred to Constantinople. As the Emperor would have it old Rome was merely being relocated to his new Rome on the Bosporos. To make this point, depictions of Roma and Constantinopolis appeared on their own coins struck for the same occasion under Constantine and his successors. Indeed, some issues even go so far as to show both Roma and Constantinopolis together holding a shield inscribed with imperial votae to further underline the point. We may gauge the success of Constantine's transference of old Rome to new Rome by the fact that down to the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks in 1453 the Emperors who resided continued to themselves in Greek as basileus Romaion, "King of the Romans."