Constantius II, 337-361. Solidus (Gold, 22 mm, 4.60 g, 6 h), Treveri, 353-354. FL IVL CONSTAN-TIVS PERP AVGV Helmeted, pearl-diademed and cuirassed bust of Constantius II facing, his head turned slightly to right, holding spear over his shoulder in his right hand and with a shield, decorated with a horseman galloping right and spearing a fallen foe, on his left shoulder. Rev. GLORIA REI PVBLICAE / TR Roma, helmeted, seated facing on the left, holding spear in her left hand, and Constantinopolis, turreted, seated to left with her right foot on prow on the right, holding scepter in her left hand, supporting between them a wreath inscribed VOT / XXX / MVLT / XXXX. Depeyrot -. RIC -, cf. 343 (differing obverse legend). An unpublished variety of an extremely rare type. A few tiny marks and with very minor weakness on the reverse, otherwise, extremely fine.


Under Magnentius, Treveri (Trier) was one of the principal mints of the West, but this changed fundamentally after the victory of Constantius II. Solidi struck there after 353/4 are all very rare, and those with his frontal portrait – like the present piece – rank among the great rarities of Trier’s coinage. They are distinguished not only by their unusual style but also by variations in the otherwise uniform reverse type: at times Constantinopolis, for example, carries a cornucopiae, or a captive is shown between the personifications. They also stand out for their unusually high weight. Our specimen, at 4.60 g, lies noticeably above the norm of the otherwise tightly regulated solidus, for which upward deviations are otherwise virtually unknown.

The most remarkable feature of our coin, however, is its obverse legend, hitherto unattested at Trier, which ends in AVGV rather than AVG. In this, it clearly follows prototypes from Constantinople (Depeyrot 3/4; RIC 96), which must have served as its model. The irregularities in Trier’s coinage of this period undoubtedly reflect the political unrest in the region. Ammian relates the revolt of a certain Poemenius, who, together with the citizens of Trier, turned against Magnentius and Decentius – in effect, a revolt against a revolt. Whether and to what extent coins can be attributed to this usurper has long been a much-debated question in Trier numismatics. For our piece, however, we may assume a date after the death of Magnentius, as indicated not only by the new bust type of Constantius II but also by the reference to his tricennalia, celebrated in the spring of 353 at Arelate.