Roma Numismatics Ltd
Auction XVIII 29 Sep 2019
View prices realized
► Sale information
Find similar lots
Constantine I 'the Great' AV Solidus. Trier, AD 313-315. CONSTANTINVS P F AVG, laureate head right / VICTORIA CONSTANTINI AVG, Victory advancing to left, holding wreath aloft in right hand, palm over shoulder in left; bound captives seated on ground before and behind, heads turned towards Victory, PTR in exergue. RIC 32 var. (reverse legend break). 4.42g, 19mm, 7h.
Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare.
Ex Numismatic Fine Arts, List 26, January 1983, no. 70.
The city of Trier was one of the chief mints throughout the reign of Constantine, and aside from two issues at Arles it was the only Gallic mint to strike gold. This solidus was struck circa AD 313-15, in the years following a number of Constantine I's great victories. It is therefore an issue deeply imbued with the significance of Constantine's military achievements which are symbolized by Victory striding forward carrying the wreath and palm, the prizes of victory, with captives seated to either side at her feet.
AD 312, the year before this solidus was struck, commenced with Constantine's great crossing of the Cottian Alps with an army of 40,000 men and auxiliaries to meet Maxentius in battle first at Turin, then Brescia and Verona. These successes were quickly followed by the Battle of the Milvian Bridge where Maxentius was utterly defeated, and had his severed head paraded through Rome while damnatio memoriae against his image was carried out across the empire. With this victory Constantine brought an end to the Tetrarchic system of government and became sole ruler of the West, an occasion he celebrated with a grand adventus. It was at the end of this momentous year that construction began on the Arch of Constantine to celebrate his victories and offer praise to the emperor for both his military and civic contributions.
Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare.
Ex Numismatic Fine Arts, List 26, January 1983, no. 70.
The city of Trier was one of the chief mints throughout the reign of Constantine, and aside from two issues at Arles it was the only Gallic mint to strike gold. This solidus was struck circa AD 313-15, in the years following a number of Constantine I's great victories. It is therefore an issue deeply imbued with the significance of Constantine's military achievements which are symbolized by Victory striding forward carrying the wreath and palm, the prizes of victory, with captives seated to either side at her feet.
AD 312, the year before this solidus was struck, commenced with Constantine's great crossing of the Cottian Alps with an army of 40,000 men and auxiliaries to meet Maxentius in battle first at Turin, then Brescia and Verona. These successes were quickly followed by the Battle of the Milvian Bridge where Maxentius was utterly defeated, and had his severed head paraded through Rome while damnatio memoriae against his image was carried out across the empire. With this victory Constantine brought an end to the Tetrarchic system of government and became sole ruler of the West, an occasion he celebrated with a grand adventus. It was at the end of this momentous year that construction began on the Arch of Constantine to celebrate his victories and offer praise to the emperor for both his military and civic contributions.