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Barely a teenager, Constans (323–350 AD) ascended to co-Augustus when his father, Constantine the Great, died after three decades of rule over the Roman Empire. Constans shared the responsibility along with his two older brothers, Constantius II and Constantine II. Specifically, Constantius II ruled over the far eastern Empire, Constantine II controlled the westernmost provinces, and Constans inherited the remainder in between, including Italy and Africa. Due to his young age, Constans was initially subject to Constantine II’s supervision.
However, the careful forethought of their father rapidly dissolved into bitter brotherly dissonance. As the eldest Augustus, Constantine II felt he deserved more power and quarreled with Constans over the control of Italy and Africa. It finally came to war. In 340 AD, Constantine II invaded northern Italy while Constans was away in Moesia, possibly hunting (his favorite pastime). Rather than yielding to his elder brother, the sixteen-year-old Constans proved utterly ruthless. Constantine II was lured into an ambush near Aquileia and slaughtered by an elite military vanguard dispatched by his own sibling. With this bloody fratricide, Constans advanced to sole, unsupervised Augustus over the western half of the Roman Empire.
By all accounts, Constans governed successfully during his early reign. He kept busy, defeating the Franks on the Rhine and repelling an incursion by the Picts in Britannia. He traveled widely, regardless of environmental conditions, becoming renowned for energetically and enthusiastically defending his realm. Constans was also a fierce defender of Nicene Christianity, resulting in further dissonance with his remaining brother Constantius II, who held Arian views. Constans enacted restrictive measures against Jews and Pagans, and was particularly repressive toward Donatist Christians, causing conflict with many of his own subjects, including some within his own court.
Constans and Constantius II would reign over the West and East, respectively, for a decade. Near the end of that period (348–350 AD), this coin of Constans was struck in Antioch, Syria, under the governance of Constantius II. This was standard practice; Constans also struck coins in Constantius’s name at mints in the West. The imperial brothers had recently enacted a major coinage reform to address the rapidly declining billon nummus, which had shrunk from 12.5 g to 1.5 g in only a few decades. The new standard weighed in at about 5 g. This new denomination is often referred to as a centenionalis, a term that originated colloquially, derived from
centum (a hundred), although exactly what the ancient Romans called it remains subject to debate. In any case, this revised billon coin bore a revised message as well. Specifically, the reverse inscription reads FEL TEMP REPARATIO, denoting
Felix Temporum Reparatio, corresponding roughly to “Happy Days are Here Again.”
Several motifs were employed along with this legend. The most popular with Constantius II was the "Fallen Horseman" type, several fascinating examples of which can be found on this Gallery Page. Constans, however, preferred different designs to pair with his FEL TEMP REPARATIO messaging. For some centenionales, he depicted himself on a galley steered by Victory. On others, such as this one, he depicted a Roman soldier with a spear in one hand and a small figure in the other, whom he leads away from a hut beneath a tree. Because the Romans rarely left written explanations for their coin propaganda, modern historians propose four main theories for this scene. The leading academic view is the resettlement of pacified barbarians (like the Franks) inside Roman borders as farmers. A second theory suggests the taking of royal hostages—the children of barbarian chieftains raised in Roman capitals to guarantee treaties. A third interpretation is the rescue of Roman citizens who had been taken captive during cross-border raids. Finally, there is a fourth, plausible and chilling alternative: the child’s parents have been slain in battle, and the orphaned barbarian is being led into slavery to literally provide the forced labor necessary to restore the "good times" for Rome’s economy.
This last view disturbingly aligns with Constans’s reputation for avarice and cruelty. Allegations against him included the exploitation of male barbarian slaves and captives. Such reports — which should be carefully considered since they were mainly recorded by hostile historians well after the fact — also charged him with rampant corruption. Important governmental positions were supposedly sold to the highest bidder, resulting in widespread incompetency and cruelty, as the ill-chosen appointees abused their subjects to recoup their investments. Constans became increasingly unpopular, especially with the soldiers, who reportedly held active disdain for his personal lifestyle and heavy-handed rule. Demonstrating exceptionally imprudent political instincts and poor judgment, Constans alienated and taunted the very troops keeping him in power, rather than showing the good sense to appease them.
In 350 AD, the troops at Augustodunum decided that they preferred the popular military commander Magnentius for their Emperor. Constans was away at the time, reportedly on yet another hunting trip, and therefore unable to mount a proper defense. Moreover, when his present entourage heard the news, they largely deserted him. The Augustus had no recourse but to flee and hide. The hunter was now the hunted; Magnentius’s assassins pursued Constans for weeks.
Eventually, Constans was cornered in southern Gaul, within the town of Castrum Helenae, named after his grandmother. In a desperate measure, Constans took refuge in a pagan temple, claiming sanctuary. That claim fell upon unsympathetic ears: Constans was dragged out into the street to meet the taunts and swords of his hunters. Reportedly, the youngest son of Constantine the Great was murdered without any troops left to protect him; only Laniogaisus, a faithful Frankish companion and likely his intimate partner, stayed with him to the bitter end.
Coin Details: ROMAN EMPIRE, Constans, AD 337-350, BI Centenionalis (5.15 g), Antioch mint, officina 6, 348-350 AD, NGC GRADE: MS★, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5, Obverse: Constans, facing left, holding globe, D N CONSTA-NS P F AVG, Reverse: Soldier, holding downward-facing spear, leading small barbarian figure from hut, palm tree above hut, FEL TEMP REPA-RATIO, ANS in exergue, Reference: RIC VIII Antioch 126.
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