Constantine III, 407-411. Siliqua (Silver, 17 mm, 1.16 g, 6 h), Treveri, 408-411. D N CONSTAN-TINVS P F AVG Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Constantine III to right. Rev. VICTORI-A AAVGGG / TRMS Roma seated left on cuirass and throne, holding Victory in her right hand and inverted spear in her left. Lafaurie 11. RIC 1533. RSC 4A. Rare. Beautifully toned and well struck on magnificent metal, an exceptional piece. Nearly extremely fine.




The usurpation of Constantine III is closely linked to the Crossing of the Rhine on 31 December 406 (or possibly 405), when barbarian groups entered Gaul, destroying frontier garrisons and undermining civic order. In the turmoil, Roman troops in Britain proclaimed Flavius Claudius Constantinus as Augustus, hoping he would protect the province neglected by the imperial court in Ravenna.

Although later sources describe Constantine as a common soldier, he may in fact have held the senior command of comes britanniarum. In 408 he crossed into Gaul with the last British comitatenses, leaving only the local limitanei to guard Hadrian’s Wall and the Saxon Shore.

At first his rule prospered: he secured the Rhine and made Arelate his capital. Yet his Italian campaign of 410 ended in failure, and within a year his regime collapsed amid rebellion. In 411 Constantine surrendered to Flavius Constantius, the future Constantius III, and was soon executed.