Obverse: CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C;
Laureate, Cuirassed Bust of Constantine
II Facing Right
Reverse: PROVIDENTIAE CAESS; Camp Gate
with Two Turrets and Star Above
Constantine II was born in 316 A.D., the
eldest son of Constantine the Great and
his second wife, Fausta. When the empire
was divided upon the death of his father
in A. D. 337 between him and his
brothers Constantius II, Constans I, he
inherited Gaul and most of Western
Europe. Together with his brothers,
Constantine II systematically murdered
any of his relatives that he considered
a threat to his throne. They left their
young cousin Julian alive, however, and
Julian ultimately did lead a successful
revolt and become emperor. Part of the
arrangements made between the three
brothers included Constantine II acting
as regent for Constans, who was
considered somewhat young to rule in his
own right. In 340, Constantine II and
Constans got into an argument over the
administration of Italy. Constantine II
gathered an army to go chastise his
brother, but was soundly defeated in the
battle that took place near the city of
Aquileia, in the North of Italy close to
the western slopes of the Julian Alps.
Constantine II was killed in the battle
after bitter fighting.
How many hands have touched a coin in
your pocket or purse? What eras and
lands have the coin traversed on its
journey into our possession? As we reach
into our pockets to pull out some
change, we rarely hesitate to think of
who might have touched the coin before
us, or where the coin will venture to
after it leaves our hands. More than
money, coins are a symbol of the state
that struck them, of a specific time and
location, whether contemporary
currencies or artifacts of a long
forgotten empire. This stunning hand-
struck coin reveals an expertise of
craftsmanship and intricate sculptural
detail that is often lacking in
contemporary machine-made currencies.
This ancient coin is a memorial to the
Emperor Constantine II, passed from the
hands of civilization to civilization,
from generation to generation that still
appears as vibrant today as the day it
was struck.
- (C.4761)
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