Christian Symbolism on Roman Coins.
Table 7: Coins struck after 364 (that is, after the early period which is the subject of this site on early Christian symbols).
Christianity was well-established by the reign of Valentinian, 364-375, and from then on it is common to find Christian symbols on Roman coins. Unlike the previous pages, this page does not attempt to be comprehensive, rather it just illustrates some interesting examples.
Valentinian (364-375) and his brother Valens (365-378) issued two extremely common AE3 types:
1) GLORIA ROMANORVM, emperor right, head left, dragging captive and holding in left standard with chi-rho.
2) SECVRITAS REIPVBLICAE, Victory left holding wreath and palm.
Type 1, the GLORIA ROMANORVM type, always has a chi-rho on a standard.
Valens. 364-378 AD.
GLORIA ROMANORVM
Struck 367-375 at
Siscia with mintmark BSISCS
and field marks
chi-rho on standard.
RIC Siscia 14a
This extremely common type was issued for Valentinian, Valens, Gratian, and Valentinian II.
The "Hand of God," first seen on a deified Constantine type (Type 2.5), appears on the obverse under Arcadius and his wife Eudoxia.
Arcadius. 383-408 AD.
20 mm. 4.52 grams.
His first issue, Jan. 19, 383 to August 25. 383.
DN ARCAD-IVS PF AVG
GLORIA RO-MANORVM
Minted at Constantinople with mintmark
CONΓ*
RIC IX, Constantinople 53a.
Eudoxia:
Eudoxia. Married Arcadius in 395.
Virtual eastern ruler 400-404 AD.
18 mm. 2.32 grams.
Hand of God on obverse
AEL EVDO-XIA AVG
SALVS REI-PVBLICAE
Victory inscribing a shield with a chi-rho.
Minted at Antioch with ANT mintmark
RIC X 104, struck 401-404.
In the fifth century it is common to have a cross as the reverse type on small AE4 coins.
Arcadius. 383-408 AD.
11 mm. 0.82 grams. 6:30.
cross, CONCORDIA AVG around
ALEA in exergue.
RIC X 111, Arcadius at Alexandria
Theodosius II. 402-450 AD.
11-10 mm. 0.84 grams.
Cross in wreath, a very common type.
However, note the unusal cross above the head on this example.
Mintmark uncertain, but such cross-above-head varieties appear later
at Constantinople, Nicomedia, and Antioch only.
Marcian. 450-457.
12-11 mm. 1.71 grams.
DN MARCI + ANVS ...
Cross above head/monogram reverse, Nicomedia mint.
RIC X 551variety. 551 does not mention the cross above the head.
Crosses on coins after 364 AD are too common to document; this page illustrates only a few.
The End.
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