Constantine I as Caesar, Bronze Follis

1067.jpg

Dublin Core

Title

Constantine I as Caesar, Bronze Follis

Subject

Constantine I as Caesar, Bronze Follis. Lugdunum Mint.
OBVERSE: FL VAL CONSTANTINVS NOB C (Flavius Valerius Constantinus Nobilis Consul), laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
REVERSE: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI (to the genius of the Roman people), Genius standing left, head turreted or laureate, loins draped, holding patera over altar and cornucopia, PLG in exergue.

Description

Constantine is one of the most famous emperors from Roman history. He was the first emperor to legalize Christianity and possibly the first to convert to it.

The famous story says that, just before the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 307 CE, Constantine saw a vision in which he was directed inscribe a cross on his sheild. Following the vision, he did, and won the battle.

This experience inspired him to embrace Christianity, which had, until this point, been mostly persecuted or ignored by the emperors. The Edict of Milan, issued in 313 CE, was the official document that allowed Christians to openly practice their religion.

Source

Gift of James and Aneta McIntyre, Hallie Ford Museum of Art, Salem, OR. 2006.010.067

Date

ca. 306-312 CE

Rights

Hallie Ford Museum of Art

Format

1.044 in
0.265 oz

Language

Latin

Type

Coin

Coverage

This item is on view at Hallie Ford Museum of Art, in the Mark and Janeth Sponenburgh Gallery.

Citation

“Constantine I as Caesar, Bronze Follis,” Hallie Ford Museum of Art Exhibits, accessed November 23, 2024, https://library.willamette.edu/hfma/omeka/items/show/118.