AELIA FLACILLA 379AD Ancient Rare Roman Coin VICTORY CHI-RHO Christ monog i32820

Item: i32820

Authentic Ancient

Coin of:

Aelia Flacilla – Wife of Roman Emperor Theodosius I and

Bronze AE4 15mm (1.31 grams) Siscia mint: 379-388 A.D.
Reference: RIC 35 (Siscia) var.
AELFLACCILLAAVG – Diademed, draped bust bust right.
SALVSREIPVBLICAE Exe: ΔSIS – Victory
(Nike) seated right, inscribing
 Christogram on
shield set on cippus.

You are bidding on the exact item pictured,

Authenticity.

In
Greek mythology
,
Nike

was a goddess
who personified
victory
, also known as the Winged Goddess of
Victory. The Roman equivalent was
Victoria
. Depending upon the time of various
myths, she was described as the daughter of
Pallas
(Titan) and

Styx (Water) and the sister of
Kratos
(Strength),
Bia
(Force), and
Zelus
(Zeal). Nike and her siblings were close
companions of Zeus
, the dominant deity of the
Greek pantheon
. According to classical (later)
myth, Styx brought them to Zeus when

the
god was assembling allies for the
Titan War
against the older deities. Nike
assumed the role of the divine
charioteer
, a role in which she often is
portrayed in Classical Greek art. Nike flew around battlefields rewarding the
victors with glory and fame.

Nike is seen with wings in most statues and paintings. Most other winged
deities in the Greek pantheon had shed their wings by Classical times. Nike is
the goddess of strength, speed, and victory. Nike was a very close acquaintance
of Athena
, and is thought to have stood in
Athena’s outstretched hand in the statue of Athena located in the Parthenon.
Nike is one of the most commonly portrayed figures on Greek coins.

Names stemming from Nike include amongst others:
Nicholas
, Nicola, Nick, Nikolai, Nils, Klaas,
Nicole, Ike, Niki, Nikita, Nika, Niketas, and Nico.

In

Roman mythology

, Victoria was the personification/Goddess of victory.

She is the Roman version of the

Greek goddess

Nike

, and was associated with

Bellona

. She was adapted from the

Sabine

agricultural goddess

Vacuna
and had

a

temple

on the

Palatine Hill

. Her name (in Latin) means victory. Unlike the Greek Nike, Victoria (Latin

for “victory”) was a major part of Roman society. Multiple temples were erected

in her honour. When her statue was removed in 382 AD by emperor

Gratianus

there was much anger in Rome. She was normally worshipped by

triumphant

generals returning from war. Also unlike the Greek Nike, who was known for success in athletic games such

as chariot races, Victoria was a symbol of victory over death and determined who

would be successful during war. Appearing on Roman coins, jewelry, architecture, and other arts, Victoria is

often seen with or in a

chariot
. An

example of this is her place upon the

Brandenburg Gate

in Berlin, Germany.

The Chi Rho is one of the earliest

christograms

used by Christians. It is formed by superimposing the

first two letters in the Greek spelling of the word

Christ

(

Greek

 : “Χριστός” ), chi = ch and rho = r, in such a way to produce

the monogram

☧. The Chi-Rho symbol was also used by pagan Greek scribes to

mark, in the margin, a particularly valuable or relevant passage; the

combined

letters Chi and Rho standing for chrēston, meaning “good.” Although not technically a cross, the Chi Rho invokes the crucifixion

of Jesus as well as symbolizing his status as the Christ. There is early

evidence of the Chi Rho symbol on Christian Rings of the third century.

Aelia Flavia Flaccilla (died 385), first wife

of the

Roman

Emperor

Theodosius I

. She was of

Hispanian

Roman descent.

During her marriage to Theodosius, she gave birth to two sons — future Emperors

Arcadius

and

Honorius

— and a daughter,

Aelia Pulcheria

. She was given the title of

, as her coinage shows.

Family

According to Laus Serenae (“In Praise of Serena”), a poem by

Claudian
,

both

Serena

and Flaccilla were from

Hispania
.

A passage of

Themistius

(Oratio XVI, De Saturnino) has been interpreted as identifying Flavius

Claudius Antonius,

Praetorian prefect of Gaul

from 376 to 377 and

Roman consul

in 382, to be her father. However the relation is considered

doubtful. 

In 1967, John Robert Martindale, later one of several article writers in the

Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire

, suggested that the passage actually

identifies Antonius as the brother-in-law of Theodosius. However the passage is

vague enough to allow

Flavius Afranius Syagrius

, co-consul of Antonius in 382, to be the

brother-in-law in question.

The only kin clearly identified in primary sources was her nephew Nebridius,

son of an unnamed sister. He married Salvina, a daughter of

Gildo
. Their

marriage was mentioned by Jerome in his correspondence with Salvina. They had a

son and a daughter.

Marriage

In about 375-376, Flaccilla married

Theodosius I

, a son of

Count Theodosius

. At the time Theodosius had fallen out of favor with

Valentinian I

and had withdrawn to civilian life in

Cauca
,

Gallaecia
.

Their first son

Arcadius

was born prior to the elevation of his parents on the throne. Their secold son

Honorius

was born on 9 September 384. Their daughter

Pulcheria

has been suggested to have been born prior to the elevation of her

parents to the throne due to another passage of Laus Serenae. She

predeceased her parents as mentioned in the writings of

Gregory of Nyssa

.

A younger Gratian .mentioned alongside the imperial children by

Ambrose
. has

at times been suggested as a third son. However, Gregory of Nyssa reports the

existence of only three imperial children and other sources do not mention

Gratian. Gratian was possibly a relation of some sort but not an actual member

of the

Theodosian dynasty

.

Empress

Valens
,

emperor of the

Eastern Roman Empire

was killed in the

Battle of Adrianople

(9 August 378). He was survived by his wife

Albia Dominica

and his daughters Anastasia and Carosa. He had however

survived his only son, Valentinianus Galates. His nephew

Gratian
,

Emperor of the

Western Roman Empire

, was his heir and assumed control of the Eastern Empire

as well. With his younger half-brother

Valentinian II

as his nominal co-ruler.

On 19 January, Gratian declared Theodosius,

magister militum

per

Illyricum

, to be his new colleague in the Eastern Roman Empire. Theodosius

seems to have been the senior officer of Roman origins available for promotion

at the time.

Merobaudes

and

Frigeridus
,

the two magistri militum in praesenti were probably not considered due to their

Germanic

origins. Several other equivalent positions remained vacant since

the deaths of their last holders in Adrianople. At this point Flacilla became the Empress consort.

She was a fervent supporter of the

Nicene

Creed
. Sozomen

reports her preventing a conference between Theodosius and

Eunomius of Cyzicus

who served as figurehead of

Anomoeanism

, a distinct

sect of

Arians
.

Ambrose and Gregory of Nyssa praise her Christian virtue and comment on her role

as “a leader of justice” and “pillar of the Church”.

Theodoret

reports on her works of

charity

, personally tending to the

disabled
.

He quotes her saying that “To distribute money belongs to the imperial dignity,

but I offer up for the imperial dignity itself personal service to the Giver.”

She died in 385 (or 386). Her death is mentioned by (among others)

Claudian
,

Zosimus
,

Philostorgius

and

Joannes Zonaras

. According to the

Chronicon Paschale

, the palatium Flaccillianum of

Constantinople

was named in her honor. A statue of her was placed within the

Byzantine Senate

.

Sainthood

She is commemorated as a saint by the

Eastern Orthodox Church

, her feast day being 14 September.