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In 335 AD, Delmatius (c. 313 – 337 AD) was named Caesar by his uncle, Emperor Constantine I. The Emperor chose three other Caesars as well: his sons Constantine II, Constantius II, and Constans. Each of the co-Caesars was given his own territory to rule over. Perhaps Constantine intended that after his death, the four would jointly rule as a new Tetrarchy.
Alas, this noble vision did not materialize. After Constantine died in 337 AD, the imperial family fought for the throne rather than collaborating. In particular, Constantius II was ruthless in eliminating any rivals, whether or not they were blood relations. Only months after Constantine’s death, Delmatius, along with other members of his clan, became the victim of a bloody imperial purge.
Due to his extremely brief tenure, very little information is known about Delmatius. What does endure are some of his coins, such as this nummus struck at Cyzicus. The obverse depicts the laureate and cuirassed bust of Delmatius and reads FL IVL DELMATIVS NOB C (Noble Caesar, Flavius Julius Delmatius). The reverse depicts two soldiers holding reversed spears and leaning on shields, with a standard between them, and reads GLORIA EXERCITVS, “glory of the army.” This verso motif was popular among coins of the Constantinian dynasty, meant to honor and praise the valor of the troops. The reversed spears are traditionally thought to denote tranquility — an incredibly ironic device considering the dissonance among the Constantinian dynasts that led to Delmatius’ demise.
Coin Details: ROMAN EMPIRE, Delmatius, AD 335-337 as Caesar, Æ 3/4 (BI Nummus) (1.88 g), NGC Grade: MS, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 4/5, Cyzicus mint (2nd officina?), Obverse: laureate and cuirassed bust right, FL IVL DELMATIVS NOB C, Reverse: two soldiers holding reversed spears and leaning on shields, GLORIA EXERCITVS, SMBK in exergue, Reference: RIC VII 146.
Image: Sony ɑ 7R Ⅴ camera / Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS lens.