Constantine II, as Caesar AD 317-337. Antioch
Follis Æ
18 mm, 3,07 g
CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C, diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / GLORIA EXERCITVS, two soldiers helmeted, standing facing one another, reversed spear in outer hands, inner hands on shields resting on ground; between them two standards; SMANE in exergue.
Extremely Fine
RIC 87.
Constantine II, one of the sons of the famed Constantine the Great, stepped onto the stage of Roman history during a pivotal period. His rule, from AD 337 to 340, was characterized by the intricate web of power struggles and divisions that followed his father's demise. Born into the imperial purple, Constantine II found himself in a world where the Roman Empire was too vast to be ruled by a single hand. In AD 337, upon his father's death, 0the empire was partitioned among Constantine's three sons. Constantine II's realm encompassed territories in the western part of the empire, extending into modern-day Western Europe. However, his reign was far from tranquil. Constantine II, along with his brothers Constantius II and Constans, engaged in a complex dance for power, each vying for control of various regions. Their ambitions often led to clashes and conflicts within the imperial family. Constantine II's life was cut short in AD 340 during a military campaign against his brother Constans. He met his demise on the battlefield, marking a chapter in the ongoing saga of imperial succession and division within the Roman Empire.