Roman Empire

Constantius I, Co-Emperor AD 305-306

RIC 48; Depeyrot 6/12; Calico 4849, Superb Mint State

Aquileia. CONSTANT-IVS P F AVG, laureate head of Constantius I right. Reverse: IOVI CONSERVATORI AVGG NN, Jupiter standing facing, head left, holding thunderbolt and scepter; AQ.

Ex Heritage 3044 (3 January 2016), 31072; Naumann 34 (9 August 2015), 1030

With some prodding, Diocletian convinced Maximian to join him in setting down the imperial power on May 1, AD 305, so that their well-trained Caesars could replace them as Augusti and continue the orderly government of the Empire. On the day of Maximian’s abdication, Constantius I became Augustus, but the joy of this elevation was tempered by the fact that Galerius held hostage Constantius’ son Constantine and compelled him to accept Galerius’ nominee as Caesares. In late AD 305, Constantius I embarked on a new British campaign at the end of which he was joined by Constantine, who had recently escaped from Galerius. Father and son fought together against the Picts in the following year, but in July Constantius I fell ill at York and died. The army in Britannia proclaimed Constantine I as the new Augustus in the West.