Ancient Rome - Constants - AR Siliqua - Circa 337-350 AD
$425
Mint: Treveri (Trier)
Date: 337-350 AD
Denomination: AR Siliqua
Mount: Sterling Silver
Description: AR Siliqua. Obverse: Inscription "LIVLCONSTANSPFAVG" Bust of Constans pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right. Reverse: Inscription "VICTORIAeDDNNAVGG". Victory standing left, holding wreath and palm frond.
History: In his role as a Christian emperor , much like his father Constantine, Constant took an active part in trying to promote Christianity. In turn this led him to continue the persecution of the Donates Christians in Africa, as well as to act against the pagans and theJews.
The front of the coin is a head of then roman emperor, Constans. The Roman Mint was established as the Temple and Factory of a Roman God named Juno Moneta. The word “money” is derived from this god’s name. These mints relied on vast numbers of manual laborers. Since each coin had to be struck by hand, no two are identical.
The making of each coin required the labor of three men: one to hold the coin blank in place with special tongs, one to hold the die over the blank, and one to strike the hammer blow that minted the coin. More than one hammer blow was often necessary to transfer the die image to the coin. Some coins feature a ghost image resulting from a die shift between two hammer blows. This is also why an image is not often centered on a coin.
AG-RM32-MC
