Roma Numismatics Ltd
Auction XX 29-30 Oct 2020
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Constantine I 'the Great' AV Multiplum (Medallion) of 1.5 Solidi. Nicomedia, struck on the occasion of the consecration of Constantinopolis shortly after 11 May AD 330. CONSTANTINVS MAX AVG, draped and cuirassed bust facing, head turned to right, wearing diadem of laurel leaves and jewels with large gem on the forehead / ADVENTVS AVG N, Constantine, cloaked and in military attire, on horseback to left, head facing, left hand holding reins, his right raised in a gesture of greeting; he is preceded by Victory advancing to left, head reverted, holding palm and wreath; SMN in exergue. RIC 160; C. 5 var. (SMNΓ); Depeyrot p. 155; Gnecchi 1; Bastien, Donativa 80e, note (13). 6.87g, 25mm, 12h.
Near Mint State. Very Rare; an impressive medallion of fine style and of great historical importance.
From the Long Valley River Collection;
Ex Numismatica Ars Classica AG, Auction 80, 20 October 2014, lot 257 (hammer: CHF 120,000);
Ex Münzen & Medaillen AG Basel, Auction 92, 22 November 2002, lot 303;
Ex Sotheby's, 8 July 1996, lot 179;
Ex Giessener Münzhandlung, Auction 42, 11 October 1988, lot 814;
Ex Gallerie des Monnaies - Spink & Son Ltd, 15 February 1977, lot 692.
"The foundation of Constantinople...inaugurated a permanent division between the Eastern and Western, the Greek and the Latin, halves of the empire", in the words of J. B. Bury, a division which "affected decisively the whole subsequent history of Europe" (Bury, History of the Later Roman Empire, 1923, p.2). By commemorating the period of the new capital's dedication on 11 May AD 330, therefore, this spectacular medallion honours a critical historical moment. According to Themistius, Constantine the Great started the construction of an impressive new capital in his own name following victory over Licinius in September 324 (Orations, iv, p. 69, 25 (Dindorf)). Fifth and early sixth-century literary authors Zosimus and Sozomenus record that the emperor had initially chosen the ancient site of Troy as the location for his new city, yet A. Alföldi dismisses this alternative tradition and argues that the intended capital had always been Byzantium (Zosimus 2.30.1; Sozomenus 2.3.2ff; Alföldi, 'On the Foundation of Constantinople', 1947, p.11). The city was crossed by east and west trade routes and strategically positioned for securing both the northern Danube frontier and the eastern border; according to the 5th century regionary Notitia Urbis Constantinopolitanae, Constantine built this new capital across seven hills, mirroring the old capital of Rome, and promptly divided it into fourteen administrative regions as Augustus had done before at Rome (O. Seeck, Notitia Dignitatum, 1876).
The particular adventus memorialised on the medallic reverse has, however, been variously identified, potentially complicating the context of its mintage in Nicomedia. The emperor seemed to have made visits to Nicomedia in both the early winter of 329 and the summer of 330. Constantine's former visit to his royal court would have been preceded by periods spent in Trier, Sirmium, Naissus, Serdica and Constantinople and his whereabouts in the winter of 329 are left unaccounted for, allowing for a likely stay at Nicomedia. However, P. Bruun is probably correct to associate the production of gold coins and medallions like this with a later visit, instead, when the emperor visited Thessalonica and Nicomedia after the dedication of Constantinople (Bruun, RIC VII, p.15.) This adventus coin type in general, depicting an emperor on horseback, was adapted from Greek types like the tetradrachms of Philip II which also depicted a waving king on horseback (c. 355-349 BC, Le Rider 167a (076/R137)), and featured on the antoniniani of earlier emperors like Trajan Decius (AD 249-251, RIC 62a).The ceremonial arrival of an emperor was attended by the city's inhabitants, an aspect alluded to by the emperor's raised hand on the medal as he greets the assembled masses. The obverse depicts a stunningly rendered portrait of the emperor, wearing a jewel-studded diadem with a large central gem instead of the simple plain diadem band which features on other gold medallions, like an example from the same mint in 325-326 (Roma, Auction 10, 27 September 2015, lot 877; C. -; RIC -). This wonderfully preserved medallion, then, serves to celebrate the great emperor and mark the inception of his eponymous and newly-consecrated capital.
Near Mint State. Very Rare; an impressive medallion of fine style and of great historical importance.
From the Long Valley River Collection;
Ex Numismatica Ars Classica AG, Auction 80, 20 October 2014, lot 257 (hammer: CHF 120,000);
Ex Münzen & Medaillen AG Basel, Auction 92, 22 November 2002, lot 303;
Ex Sotheby's, 8 July 1996, lot 179;
Ex Giessener Münzhandlung, Auction 42, 11 October 1988, lot 814;
Ex Gallerie des Monnaies - Spink & Son Ltd, 15 February 1977, lot 692.
"The foundation of Constantinople...inaugurated a permanent division between the Eastern and Western, the Greek and the Latin, halves of the empire", in the words of J. B. Bury, a division which "affected decisively the whole subsequent history of Europe" (Bury, History of the Later Roman Empire, 1923, p.2). By commemorating the period of the new capital's dedication on 11 May AD 330, therefore, this spectacular medallion honours a critical historical moment. According to Themistius, Constantine the Great started the construction of an impressive new capital in his own name following victory over Licinius in September 324 (Orations, iv, p. 69, 25 (Dindorf)). Fifth and early sixth-century literary authors Zosimus and Sozomenus record that the emperor had initially chosen the ancient site of Troy as the location for his new city, yet A. Alföldi dismisses this alternative tradition and argues that the intended capital had always been Byzantium (Zosimus 2.30.1; Sozomenus 2.3.2ff; Alföldi, 'On the Foundation of Constantinople', 1947, p.11). The city was crossed by east and west trade routes and strategically positioned for securing both the northern Danube frontier and the eastern border; according to the 5th century regionary Notitia Urbis Constantinopolitanae, Constantine built this new capital across seven hills, mirroring the old capital of Rome, and promptly divided it into fourteen administrative regions as Augustus had done before at Rome (O. Seeck, Notitia Dignitatum, 1876).
The particular adventus memorialised on the medallic reverse has, however, been variously identified, potentially complicating the context of its mintage in Nicomedia. The emperor seemed to have made visits to Nicomedia in both the early winter of 329 and the summer of 330. Constantine's former visit to his royal court would have been preceded by periods spent in Trier, Sirmium, Naissus, Serdica and Constantinople and his whereabouts in the winter of 329 are left unaccounted for, allowing for a likely stay at Nicomedia. However, P. Bruun is probably correct to associate the production of gold coins and medallions like this with a later visit, instead, when the emperor visited Thessalonica and Nicomedia after the dedication of Constantinople (Bruun, RIC VII, p.15.) This adventus coin type in general, depicting an emperor on horseback, was adapted from Greek types like the tetradrachms of Philip II which also depicted a waving king on horseback (c. 355-349 BC, Le Rider 167a (076/R137)), and featured on the antoniniani of earlier emperors like Trajan Decius (AD 249-251, RIC 62a).The ceremonial arrival of an emperor was attended by the city's inhabitants, an aspect alluded to by the emperor's raised hand on the medal as he greets the assembled masses. The obverse depicts a stunningly rendered portrait of the emperor, wearing a jewel-studded diadem with a large central gem instead of the simple plain diadem band which features on other gold medallions, like an example from the same mint in 325-326 (Roma, Auction 10, 27 September 2015, lot 877; C. -; RIC -). This wonderfully preserved medallion, then, serves to celebrate the great emperor and mark the inception of his eponymous and newly-consecrated capital.