7/29/2019 Ancient NEWSmismatics: Constantine I: No Small Change!

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 Ancient NEWSmismatics: Constantine I in the

Crux of Late Roman Imperial Power Politics - by

L.A. Hambly 

i

In the world of politics and just about everything else, we’ve

 been hearing a lot about ―Change‖ (with a capital C). So I

thought it appropriate that we have a look at someone who

did ―fundamentally transform‖ his entire world. Let's take alook at one of the most important Roman Imperial dynasties,

that of Constantine I ―The Great,‖ as true an agent of 

―Change‖ who ever lived. By a singular act –  turningChristianity from a small, persecuted sect into the favored

religion of the Roman

state – he pulled down

the pillars supporting the Ancient World and, with theresultant rubble, built the foundations for Medieval

Europe. To keep murdering this metaphor, he was the―demolition man‖ of the old order and prime architect of all that came after him. Let’s have a look at the Man

Himself:

Considering this beautiful gold solidus was struck in theimmediate aftermath of the Tetrarchic Age, when

supremely ugly ―generic‖ portraits of the ―college of 

Emperors‖ were the norm, the numismatic portrait seenhere, engraved by an anonymous genius at the branch mint of Sirmium (in modern Serbia), is

truly remarkable. The die engraver, working in low relief, has with a very few lines captured the

essence of this driven, determined ruler. The slightly squinty gaze, the hawkish nose, the firm jaw, the slight curl of his lip, all work together to create an image of a man who, in the words of one biographer, ―it would be better not to have as an enemy.‖ Indeed, in an age of endemic war,

Constantine the general never lost a battle, even when greatly outnumbered or fighting deep in

enemy territory. Maybe I’m reading too much into a few deftly carved lines, but I also see hereevidence of the man’s impatience and a smoldering temperament that could be terrible when

aroused. Which brings us to our next dynastic portrait, of Constantine’s first and favorite son,

Crispus:

In stark contrast to the previous piercing portrait, the youthful Caesar seen here is all sweetness

and light. Crispus was born circa AD 295-305 of Constantine’s

liaison with one Minervina, probably his common-law wife,whom he later replaced with more politically connected Fausta.

When Crispus was about 12, Constantine raised him to the rank 

of Caesar and began grooming him for the succession. He wasa quick study, absorbed his father’s Christian faith without

question, and soon showed himself a military prodigy,

 becoming Constantine’s right hand man in campaigns against

 barbarians and the AD 324 Civil War against Licinius. Then, in

7/29/2019 Ancient NEWSmismatics: Constantine I: No Small Change!

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 Ancient NEWSmismatics: Constantine I in the

Crux of Late Roman Imperial Power Politics - by

L.A. Hambly 

ii

AD 326, Constantine abruptly had him arrested and beheaded. Constantine’s biographers later 

asserted that Fausta falsely accused Crispus of making unwanted sexual advances upon her  person, knowing that Constantine’s quick temper would lead him act before fully thinking things

through. If he had done so, Constantine might have realized that his scheming wife (aren’t all

Roman empresses depicted as ―scheming‖ by male chauvinist biographers?) had cooked up the

tale in order to advance her own three sons by Constantine in the succession arrangements.Tormented that he had snuffed out his promising and beloved son on a spurious charge,

Constantine took his revenge on Fausta by having her suffocated in a steam bath. The events of 

AD 326 deeply scarred the emperor, but he must have taken solace that his Christian faith preached forgiveness for even the most heinous sins, if properly confessed and repented. When

Constantine’s thoughts again turned to the succession, he went to enormous lengths to ensure all

male children in his family were accommodated, which led to this strange outcome:

Someone named after Hannibal, Rome’s greatest enemy, named ―king‖ (another anathema term)

on a Roman coin? The mind boggles. Yet here is a coin struck in Constantine’s new eponymousnew capital depicting a fresh-faced young man named Hannibalianus as ―regi‖ – king.

In AD 335, Constantine concocted an elaborate five-way succession scheme that would divide

the Empire between Constantine’s three sons by Fausta, Constantine II, Constans and

Constantius, along with his young nephews Delmatius and Hannibalianus. The whole affair remains puzzling – with his three sons already designated Caesar (and all preparing to duke it outfor supreme power when the old man passed), why did Constantine further complicate matters

 by tossing two neophyte nephews into the mix? Perhaps he had in mind resurrecting Diocletian’s

Tetrarchy, which would explain Delmatius being made Caesar to create an even four ―heirs presumptive.‖ But Hannibalianus received a very different title-- Rex Regum et Pontiacarum

Gentium, or "King of Kings and of the Pontic Peoples." It seems Constantine, typically, was

thinking big — full and final conquest of the enormous Sasanian Persian Empire to the East,

followed by the installation of Hannibalianus under the supreme title ―King of Kings‖ to ruleover the non-Roman East. An entire world ruled by a single dynasty! Yet this is one grandiose

dream, one ―fundamental transformation,‖ that even Constantine couldn’t pull off. On the eve of 

launching his huge invasion of Per sia, he took seriously ill. When it became clear he wouldn’trecover, he had himself formally baptized (to cleanse his soul of many sins), clothed himself in a

 plain white shift, and peacefully expired. Once he was out of the way, his Christian-raised sons

 butchered their two nephews and divided the Empire three ways. The more things ―Change,‖ the

more they stay the same.