Roman Empire

Constans, Co-Emperor AD 337-350

RIC -; Depeyrot 5/6 (two specimens), Mint State

Thessalonica, AD 340-350. CONSTANS AVGVSTVS, diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Constans right. Reverse: VICTORIAE DD NN AVGG , two Victories facing one another, holding between them wreath inscribed VOT/XX/MVLT/XXX in four lines; TES. An extremely rare mule matching an obverse of Constans (RIC 74) with a reverse showing vows intended for Constantius II (RIC 71).

Ex NAC 97 (12 December 2016), 240; NGSA VIII (24 November 2014), 152

Flavius Julius Constans, the youngest son of Constantine the Great, became Augustus with his brothers after the death of their father in AD 337. His authority was initially limited to the territory of Italy, Africa, and Illyricum, but extended over the entirety of the Western Empire after the death of Constantine II in AD 340. Constans enjoyed some success campaigning against the Franks, but his regime became increasingly unpopular due to his cruelty and scandalous taste for handsome male barbarian hostages. At last, in AD 350, his unpopularity ignited the revolt of Magnus Maximus. Constans, finding himself entirely abandoned, tried to escape from Italy to Hispania, but he was hunted down and killed by soldiers of Magnentius.