Constantine II
'Junior' -
Roman Emperor
: 337-340 A.D.
Son of Constantine I the Great
Silvered Bronze AE3 19mm (2.32 grams) Thessalonica mint 320 A.D.
Reference: RIC 80 (VII, Thessalonica)
CONSTANTINVSIVNNOBC - Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust left.
VIRTVSEXERCIT Exe: S/F/•TS•B• - Vexillum reading VOT/XX; seated captive on
either side.
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provided with a Certificate of Authenticity and Lifetime Guarantee of
Authenticity.
The vexillum (English pronunciation:
plural vexilla) was a
flag
-like object used in the
Classical Era
of the
Roman Empire
. The word is itself a
diminutive for the Latin word, velum, sail, which confirms the
historical evidence (from coins and sculpture) that vexilla were
literally "little sails" i.e. flag-like standards. In the vexillum the
cloth was draped from a horizontal crossbar suspended from the staff;
this is unlike most modern flags in which the 'hoist' of the cloth is
attached directly to the vertical staff. The bearer of a vexillum was
known as a
vexillarius
or vexillifer.
Just as in the case of the regimental colors or flag of Western
regiments, the vexillum was a treasured symbol of the military unit that
it represented and it was closely defended in
combat
.
Flavius Claudius Constantinus, known in English as
Constantine II, (316-340) was
Roman Emperor
from 337
to
340. The eldest son of
Constantine the Great
and
Fausta
, he was
born at Arles
,
and was raised as a Christian.
On
March 1
,
317,
Constantine was made
Caesar
, and at the age of seven in 323, took part in his father's campaign
against the
Sarmatians
. At the age of ten he became commander of
Gaul, after the
death of his half-brother
Crispus
. An
inscription dating to 330 records the title of Alamannicus, so it is
probable that his generals won a victory over the
Alamanni
.
His military career continued when Constantine I elected his son field commander
during the 332 campaign against the
Goths
.
Following the death of his father in 337, Constantine II
became emperor jointly with his brothers
Constantius II
and
Constans
.
After the division of the empire, made by the three brothers in September of the
same year in Pannonia, he ruled over
Gaul,
Britannia
and
Hispania
.
He was involved in the struggle between the different
Christian streams. The Western portion of the empire leaned towards
Catholicism
and against
Arianism
,
and Constantine freed
Athanasius
and allowed him to return to
Alexandria
.
This action also put some burden on Constantius II, who was a supporter of
Arianism.
At first, he was the guardian of his younger brother Constans, whose portion
was
Italia
,
Africa
and
Illyricum
. As Constans came of age, Constantine would not relinquish the
guardianship and in 340 he marched against Constans in Italy, but was defeated
at Aquileia
and he was killed in an ambush in
Cervignano del Friuli
. Constans came to control his deceased brother's
realm.
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