Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 135 21 Nov 2022
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The Roman Empire. Constantine II caesar, 316 – 337.
Solidus, Cyzicus 325, AV 4.45 g. CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust r. Rev. PRINCIPI – I – V – VENTVTIS Prince standing facing, head r., holding standard surmounted by eagle in r. hand and sceptre in l.; in field r., standard. In exergue, SMKE. C –. Alföldi –, cf. 390 (Constantius II). Depeyrot 16/3. Biaggi 2084 (this coin). RIC 41 var. (without E).
Extremely rare. A very interesting and unusual portrait. Virtually as struck and Fdc
Ex NGSA sale 8, 2014, 99. From the Leo Biaggi de Blasys collection.
This beautiful gold solidus celebrates the Caesar Constantine II, the young son of Constantine the Great who held the title of Caesar in the western empire and shared the consulship with his half-brother Crispus in AD 324. It was no doubt struck to advertise Constantine II as dynastic heir and distributed as a donative payment to the army to encourage continuing loyalty to the house of Constantine, perhaps in the context of the New Year festival of December 325. The types are traditional and remarkable at the same time. The reverse type declaring Constantine II as princeps iuventutis ("Prince of Youths") has its origin in the time of Augustus, when the first emperor bestowed this title on his intended heirs, Gaius and Lucius Caesar. It gained increased importance in the troubled third century AD, when military emperors and usurpers sought to advertise their potential for dynastic stability by presenting a viable successor-usually in the form of their sons. This tradition, and the iconography of the princeps iuventutis in military garb, holding a short sceptre, and in association with military standards was also inherited by the House of Constantine from the coinages of the third century (e.g., coins of Diadumenian, Hostilian, Maximus and Constantine I's father, Constantius Chlorus). What is remarkable here is that at the time this coin was struck, Constantine II was about 9 years old. Although he is known to have participated in his father's war against the Sarmatians in 323-when he was 7-the coin portrait on the obverse and especially the standing figure on the reverse suggest that we are looking at an individual rather older than Constantine II's 9 years. The extreme detail preserved on the reverse gives the very strong impression that the standing figure of Constantine II here is wearing a scruffy campaign beard! The coin also has a somewhat sinister aspect in that it was produced in the year before Crispus was disgraced and executed, probably to ensure the unchallenged succession of Constantine II and his elder brothers, Constantius II and Constans. The line of Constantine the Great and Fausta was to be the only source of legitimate rulers and the coinage was used to emphasize this fact.
Solidus, Cyzicus 325, AV 4.45 g. CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust r. Rev. PRINCIPI – I – V – VENTVTIS Prince standing facing, head r., holding standard surmounted by eagle in r. hand and sceptre in l.; in field r., standard. In exergue, SMKE. C –. Alföldi –, cf. 390 (Constantius II). Depeyrot 16/3. Biaggi 2084 (this coin). RIC 41 var. (without E).
Extremely rare. A very interesting and unusual portrait. Virtually as struck and Fdc
Ex NGSA sale 8, 2014, 99. From the Leo Biaggi de Blasys collection.
This beautiful gold solidus celebrates the Caesar Constantine II, the young son of Constantine the Great who held the title of Caesar in the western empire and shared the consulship with his half-brother Crispus in AD 324. It was no doubt struck to advertise Constantine II as dynastic heir and distributed as a donative payment to the army to encourage continuing loyalty to the house of Constantine, perhaps in the context of the New Year festival of December 325. The types are traditional and remarkable at the same time. The reverse type declaring Constantine II as princeps iuventutis ("Prince of Youths") has its origin in the time of Augustus, when the first emperor bestowed this title on his intended heirs, Gaius and Lucius Caesar. It gained increased importance in the troubled third century AD, when military emperors and usurpers sought to advertise their potential for dynastic stability by presenting a viable successor-usually in the form of their sons. This tradition, and the iconography of the princeps iuventutis in military garb, holding a short sceptre, and in association with military standards was also inherited by the House of Constantine from the coinages of the third century (e.g., coins of Diadumenian, Hostilian, Maximus and Constantine I's father, Constantius Chlorus). What is remarkable here is that at the time this coin was struck, Constantine II was about 9 years old. Although he is known to have participated in his father's war against the Sarmatians in 323-when he was 7-the coin portrait on the obverse and especially the standing figure on the reverse suggest that we are looking at an individual rather older than Constantine II's 9 years. The extreme detail preserved on the reverse gives the very strong impression that the standing figure of Constantine II here is wearing a scruffy campaign beard! The coin also has a somewhat sinister aspect in that it was produced in the year before Crispus was disgraced and executed, probably to ensure the unchallenged succession of Constantine II and his elder brothers, Constantius II and Constans. The line of Constantine the Great and Fausta was to be the only source of legitimate rulers and the coinage was used to emphasize this fact.