Constantine I
Imperator Caesar Flavius Valerius Constantinus Augustus
Constantine the Great was the first Christian emperor, whose conversion and the Edict of Milan in 313 AD transformed the religious landscape of the Roman world. He defeated all rivals to reunify the empire, founded Constantinople as a new eastern capital, and convened the Council of Nicaea to define Christian orthodoxy.
Constantine reshaped the Roman world more profoundly than any emperor since Augustus. His conversion to Christianity, the founding of Constantinople, and the introduction of the solidus were transformative acts whose effects endured for a millennium in the Byzantine Empire and shaped the course of Western civilization.
Key Events
Coinage
Constantine's coinage marks the transition from pagan to Christian Roman symbolism. Early issues feature Sol Invictus, but later types introduce the labarum (Christian standard) and Chi-Rho monogram. He introduced the solidus at 1/72 of a pound of gold, establishing the standard gold coin that would endure for 700 years in Byzantium.
Denominations
Notable Types
- SOLI INVICTO COMITI (early Sol types)
- Labarum types with Chi-Rho
- GLORIA EXERCITVS (soldiers and standards)
- VRBS ROMA and CONSTANTINOPOLIS commemorative types
Common Reverses
Active Mints
Related Resources
Further Reading
- Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume VII
- Roman Coins and Their Values, Volume IV