CONSTANTINE II Jr Constantine the Great son Ancient Roman Coin Vexillum i32419

Item: i32419

Authentic Ancient

Coin of:

Constantine II ‘Junior’ – Roman Emperor: 337-340 A.D.
Constantine II as Caesar.

AE Follis.19mm (2.86 grams) Siscia mint 323 A.D.
Reference: RIC VII 126
CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C, laureate draped bust left holding Victory & mappa
VIRTVS EXERCIT, standard (  vexillum ) with VOT X between two
captives seated on ground,
S to left,
F to right, HL/ASIS star in ex.

 You are bidding on the exact item pictured,

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
.

Nearly all of the present-day regions of
Italy
preserve the use of vexilla. Many
Christian processional banners are in the vexillum form; usually these banners
are termed labara
(Greek:
λάβα�ον) after the standard adopted by the
first Christian Roman emperor
Constantine I
which replaced the imperial eagle
with the “Chi-Rho”
symbol
☧
.

The term Vexillum is also used by the
Legion of Mary
as the term for its standard. A
small version is used on the altar and a full size Vexillum leads processions.

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.

 

Division of the Roman Empire among the Caesars appointed by

Constantine I
: from left to right, the territories
of Constantine II,
Constans I
,
Dalmatius

and

Constantius II
. After the death of Constantine I
(May 337), this was the formal division of the Empire, until
Dalmatius was killed and his territory divided between Constans and
Constantius.