Constantine I 'The Great'- Roman Emperor: 307-337 A.D. -
Bronze AE3 14mm (1.8 grams) Siscia mint: 336-337 A.D.
Reference: RIC 252 (VII, Siscia) var.
CONSTANTINVSMAXAVG - Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right.
GLORIAEXERCITVS Exe: ЄSIS - Two soldiers either side of labarum topped with
Chi-Rho.
* Numismatic Note: This two soldiers standing around the
labarum with the Christ monogram comes from late in the reign of Constantine the
Great. It is also an interesting thing to note that he did not get baptized
until his dying day. Very rare coin.
You are bidding on the exact item pictured,
provided with a Certificate of Authenticity and Lifetime Guarantee of
Authenticity.
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."[1]
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.
The labarum (Greek:
λάβαρον) was a
vexillum (military standard) that displayed the "Chi-Rho"
symbol, formed from the first two
Greek letters of the word "Christ"
(Greek:
ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ, or Χριστός) — Chi (χ)
and Rho (ρ).[1]
It was first used by the
Roman emperor
Constantine I. Since the vexillum consisted of a flag suspended from
the crossbar of a cross, it was ideally suited to symbolize
crucifixion. The Chi-Rho symbol was also used by Greek scribes to
mark, in the margin, a particularly valuable or relevant passage; the
combined letters Chi and Rho standing for chrēston, meaning
"good."[2]
Constantine also transformed the ancient Greek colony of
Byzantium
into a new imperial residence,
Constantinople, which would remain the capital of the
Byzantine Empire for over one thousand years.
One of the great Roman emperors, Constantine rose to power when his
father Constantius Chlorus died in the year 306 while campaigning against
Scottish tribes. He later went on to defeat the rival emperor Maxentius in the
decisive battle of Milvian Bridge in 312. He is credited for several great
landmarks in history and is probably best memorialized by the city that bore his
name for hundreds of years: Constantinople. Although now renamed Istanbul, this
city was to be the seat of power for all Byzantine emperors for the next 1100
years. Constantine is also remembered as the first Roman emperor who embraced
Christianity and instituted the buildings and papal dynasty that eventually grew
into what is today the Vatican and the Pope.
The latter part of his life saw his commitment to the church rise in step
with the increasing repression against old-school paganism. He left behind
several sons who would, after his death, turn on each other and generally undo
much of the stability that Constantine had fought so hard to bring about.
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