![]() There are few types more historical than CONSTANTINOPOLIS. The foundation of Constantinople had an immense influence on the ancient and medieval world. When Michael Grant was president of the Royal Numismatic Society he devoted a presidential lecture to "Very Common Coins" and their relevance for understanding propaganda and the pattern of Roman coinage. The fact they were common proves they were important-and therefore historically significant-in a way that rarities are not. Struck 333-335.Įven very common coins are interesting. Notice, for contrast, how small they are on the first example, from Trier. Most examples, even high-grade examples, show no signs of the original surface silvering.Īt Alexandria the wings of Victory tend to be more prominent. This example, from Alexandria, shows some of the original thin silver coating. The missing "S" sound reminds me of modern French pronunciation. According to John Kent this "reflects the fall of the terminal -s in the spoken language and provides an interesting hint as to how instructions reached the engravers." I presume he means that he thinks those four mints received instructions from the same source, there was a oral stage in the transmission, and it was a regionally accepted pronunciation. It is missing the terminal "S" found elsewhere. The obverse legend, CONSTANTINOPLOI, is the variant found at the four mints (Constantinople, Cyzicus, Heraclea, Nicomedia) located around the Propontus (Sea of Marmora, near Constantinople). This coin has another interesting feature. In any case, Constantinople had a superb harbor and Victory had been depicted on prows for centuries. ![]() The type could hardly be intended to evoke memories of Crispus. The honor of the victory was credited to the Augustus, Constantine himself. It is interesting that the commanding admiral was the eldest son of Constantine, the Caesar Crispus, who was executed by Constantine in 326 before this type was issued. Rare medallions with complete galleys confirm the reference to a victory at sea. The reverse prow shows quite a bit of the ship, with a clear ram and oars. The terminal "S" is omitted from the obverse legend. ![]() The next example is from Constantinople and has a prow with details. On coins from western mints, as on the coin above, the prow is bold but usually small and lacking some of the distinguishing features of a ship's prow. The coin type was struck at all mints from 330 until the death of Constantine in 337. The existing city was greatly expanded with a massive building program including new walls and was formally dedicated in 330. Because of its superb location, he chose the city of Byzantium as the site of his new capital. When Constantine defeated Licinius with a major naval (thus the prow) victory in 324, he became the sole Augustus. Prior to 324 Constantine had ruled in the west and Licinius in the east. The palm branch in the left field is also a symbol of victory. On this piece, the mintmark TRS refers to the mint city of Trier and its second officina (workshop S = secunda = second). The reverse shows winged Victory left with her right foot on a tiny ship's prow, holding a scepter and with her left hand resting on a shield. The helmet is laureate and the figure holds a scepter (a symbol of power). Identified with legend "CONSTANTINOPOLIS". The obverse depicts the helmeted bust of the city personified, Under the Roman emperor Constantine the Great, who ruled 307-337 AD, the foundation of Constantinople ("Constantine's city") is celebrated on a very common ancient-coin type which was struck from 330-337 AD. CONSTANTINOPOLIS, a very common Roman coin type.
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