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Roman Coins :
Archive : Bronze Centenionalis of Emperor Constans
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Bronze Centenionalis of Emperor Constans - C.0843
Origin: Minted in Cysicus
Circa: 348
AD
to 358
AD
Collection: Numismatics
Style: Roman Coins
Medium: Bronze
Additional Information: sold Found in Jerusalem, Israel
Location: United States
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| Description |
Obverse: DN CONSTANS PF AVG; Diademed,
Draped, and Cuirassed Bust of the Emperor
Facing Left
Reverse: FEL TEMP REPARATIO; Constans
Dragging a Barbarian Youth from a Hut Beneath
a Tree
The fourth or fifth son of Constantine the Great,
Constans was bestowed the title Caesar by his
father in 333. When Constantine died in 337,
Constans and his two brothers, Constantius II
and Constantine II, each adopted the title of
Augustus and divided the empire among
themselves. Constans took control of Italy,
Africa, and Illyricum (the northwestern Balkans).
In 340 Constantine II—ruler of Spain, Gaul, and
Britain—invaded northern Italy but was defeated
and killed by Constans' army at Aquileia. This
victory gave Constans control over the entire
western half of the empire. He defended his
realm successfully against the Franks in 341 and
two years later visited Britain. In 350, however,
he was overthrown and killed in Gaul by the
usurper Magnus Magnentius. Overall Constans is
remembered as an ardent orthodox Christian and
vigorous opponent of paganism.
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 Constans, 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.0843)
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