Constantine I solidus

Today (October 27) 312 AD Constantine is said to have received his famous Vision of the Cross at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge.

According to historian Eusebius of Caesarea, Constantine and his army saw a luminous cross above the sun in the afternoon sky with the Greek inscription "Εν τούτῳ νίκα" ("By this, conquer") Writers Lactantius and Eusebius both noted that Constantine dreamed of Christ that night, who instructed him to mark his soldiers' shields with a Christian symbol. Constantine ordered his men to paint the Chi-Rho (a monogram of the first two letters of Christ's name in Greek) on their shields and standards before defeating Maxentius.

------------------------- A Roman solidus of Emperor Constantine I was dug up from a field in Somerset in 2019. Constantine the Great ruled between 306 and 337 AD.

The coin was found a foot below the surface of a field near Wanstrow, Somerset. The high grade example made £12k. On the reverse is a rare portrayal of Constantine riding his horse in battle holding a spear and shield with two fallen enemy soldiers. It commemorates his victory over Maxentius at Milvian bridge outside Rome on October 28, 312. Constantine I become the sole ruler of the Roman Empire. The routed Maxentius drowned in the Tiber trying to escape.

Constantine enacted reforms. To combat inflation he reintroduced the solidus. The solidus was introduced by Diocletian in small issues and later reintroduced for mass circulation by Constantine the Great in AD 312. Constantine's solidus was struck at a rate of 72 to a Roman pound (326.6 gm) of gold or about 4.5 grams. The new gold coin became the standard for Byzantine and European currencies for more than a thousand years.

Constantine was the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, which he did on his deathbed. Constantine was a ruler of major importance, and a controversial figure.

Constantine had his eldest son Crispus seized and put to death by "cold poison" at Pola (Pula, Croatia) in May or June 326. In July, he had his wife Empress Fausta killed in an overheated bath. Constantine was succeeded by his three sons born of Fausta, Constantine II, Constantius II and Constans. More bloodshed soon followed.

This Maxentius (AD 307-312) AV quaternio or medallion of 4-aurei, weighing 21.12 grams. NGC MS 5/5 - 2/5, is exceptionally rare – it is one of two known. It fetched $212k in 2022. The medallion was issued as a commemorative during the restoration of the temple of Urbis Veneris, erected by Hadrian in AD 135 and damaged by fire in 307 AD. Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maxentius (c. 283 – 28 October 312) was the son of former Emperor Maximian and the son-in-law of Emperor Galerius. The latter part of his reign was preoccupied with civil war. Defeated at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312, Maxentius was the last emperor to permanently reside in Rome.