Roma Numismatics Ltd
Auction XVIII 29 Sep 2019
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Constantius II AV Medallion of 1.5 Solidi. Antioch, AD 346. FL IVL CONSTANTIVS PERP AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust left / FELIX ADVENTVS AVG N, Emperor, diademed and with cloak flowing out behind him, on horseback riding left, raising right hand; SMAN in exergue. RIC 76; Cohen 79; Gnecchi 5 = Münzen & Medaillen, 5 June 1959, 266. 6.63g, 26mm, 5h.
About Extremely Fine; scattered marks, slight wave to flan. Unique and unpublished.
The Antioch mint is well known for having produced celebratory gold solidus and multiplum issues for Constantius' various anniversaries and military victories. In 346 the city celebrated no less than four such events: the consular procession on New Year's day, a large celebration of Constantius' victory over Shapur II at Nisibis, the return of the emperor from his anniversary tour to Constantinople and finally the celebration of his imperial anniversary. Although Kent (RIC VIII, 2003) gives a date range from late 347 to 19 January 350, later scholars, namely Bastien (Monnaie et donativa au bas-empire, 1988) convincingly placed this coin type in the year 346. This gold medallion seems to have been made for the third event in this year, Constantius' return to the city after his tour. The reverse depicts the emperor in ceremonial dress riding through the city and raising his hand to the crowd, the traditional representation of the emperor in gesture of salutation.
The word ADVENTVS in the reverse legend here was the term designating the emperor's arrival into a city, and was most commonly used to refer to the emperor's first entrance into Rome at the inauguration of their reign, but can also refer (as it does here) to an emperor's re-entry into a provincial city, often as part of a specific commemoration but occasionally a celebrated event in and of itself. This numismatic trope changed very little over the course of the many centuries during which it was employed, from its famous early use on the tetradrachm coinage of Philip II of Macedon in the mid 4th century BC through to its last depiction on the fractional bronze of the fifth century AD.
About Extremely Fine; scattered marks, slight wave to flan. Unique and unpublished.
The Antioch mint is well known for having produced celebratory gold solidus and multiplum issues for Constantius' various anniversaries and military victories. In 346 the city celebrated no less than four such events: the consular procession on New Year's day, a large celebration of Constantius' victory over Shapur II at Nisibis, the return of the emperor from his anniversary tour to Constantinople and finally the celebration of his imperial anniversary. Although Kent (RIC VIII, 2003) gives a date range from late 347 to 19 January 350, later scholars, namely Bastien (Monnaie et donativa au bas-empire, 1988) convincingly placed this coin type in the year 346. This gold medallion seems to have been made for the third event in this year, Constantius' return to the city after his tour. The reverse depicts the emperor in ceremonial dress riding through the city and raising his hand to the crowd, the traditional representation of the emperor in gesture of salutation.
The word ADVENTVS in the reverse legend here was the term designating the emperor's arrival into a city, and was most commonly used to refer to the emperor's first entrance into Rome at the inauguration of their reign, but can also refer (as it does here) to an emperor's re-entry into a provincial city, often as part of a specific commemoration but occasionally a celebrated event in and of itself. This numismatic trope changed very little over the course of the many centuries during which it was employed, from its famous early use on the tetradrachm coinage of Philip II of Macedon in the mid 4th century BC through to its last depiction on the fractional bronze of the fifth century AD.