Gold Solidus of Constans II, 4.38 g.

Gold Solidus of Constans II, 4.38 g.

Constans II

647-651 CE

Obverse: Facing bust of Constans with short beard, wearing chlamys and crown with cross, holding globus cruciger in right hand; D(OMINVS) N(OSTER) CONSTANTINVS P(ER)P(ETVVS) AV(GVSTVS): Our lord Constans, perpetual Augustus.

Reverse: Cross potent on four steps; VICTORIA AVGV(STI) E: Victory of the Augustus, officina mark E; in exergue, CONOB: gold of Constantinople.

Style/Period: Byzantine

Constans II, the son of Heraclius Constantine and grandson of Heraclius (see 91.275), was co-emperor with his uncle, Heraclonas, and became sole emperor at the age of eleven when Heraclonas was deposed by the senate. Although he is called Constantinus on his coins, Byzantine writers called him Constans. In his reign the Arabs made inroads into Byzantine territory, and anxiety over threats from the Lombards in Italy caused him to move to Syracuse. He attempted without success to resolve theological and political differences with the Western Church. He was murdered in 668 CE.
Constans modeled his coins after those of his grandfather, Heraclius (see 91.275), changing his portrait as he aged from beardless to wearing a short beard, as here, and finally to wearing a long, full beard. He also retained the cross potent on the steps on the reverse.
-- Rebecca K. Browning Wojcik, LU '93

Bibliography: P. Grierson, Byzantine Coins (London 1982).

Former collection of Ottilia Buerger. Purchased from Hesperia Art, Feb. 9. 1959.

91.276

Wriston Art Center Galleries, Lawrence University, Appleton, WI,wriston-gallery@lawrence.edu,920-832-6890

Byzantine, Constans II, chlamys, crown, cross, globus cruciger, cross potent, steps