Arcadius Gloria Romanorvm With Hand Of God Crowning Emperor

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Author	Replies: 6 / Views: 182
Victor Pillar of the Community United States 973 Posts	Posted 09/09/2026 12:51 pm I just got this nice example of the Manus Dei (hand of God) crowning the Emperor. Arcadius A.D. 378- 383 AE Centenionalis 23x24mm 5.4g D N ARCADIVS P F AVG; pearl-diademed, draped & cuirassed bust right, holding spear and shield, Hand of God above crowning Emperor with wreath. GLORIA ROMANORVM; Emperor standing facing, head left, holding standard & resting shield at side, bound captive seated on ground to left. In ex. CONΓ star RIC IX Constantinople 53b Edited by Victor 09/09/2026 12:52 pm Report this Post to the Staff

jbuck Moderator United States 194816 Posts	Posted 09/09/2026 2:11 pm Outstanding acquisition! Coin Collector Since 1978 Avatar Old Avatar 7070 Eisenhower Australia Canada World CCF Members on eBay CCF eBay Search Engine Report this Post to the Staff
chrsmat71 Pillar of the Community United States 5003 Posts	Posted 09/09/2026 4:37 pm Oh yeah, very nice...love that hand of God obverse..the freaky captive the other side is pretty great also! Report this Post to the Staff
maridvnvm Pillar of the Community United Kingdom 2121 Posts	Posted Today 7H 19M ago That is a very nice example. I only have this example from Alexandria, which came in a lot with something I was after. Obv:- D N ARCADIVS P F AVG, Pearl diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right, spear in right hand, shield on left arm, hand of God above offering diadem Rev:- GLORIA ROMANORVM (glory of the Romans), Emperor standing facing, head left, wearing diadem and military garb, vexillum in right hand, resting left hand on grounded shield at side, captive seated facing on left with hands bound behind his back and looking up at the Emperor Minted in Alexandria (T\|_//ALED). 19 Jan 383 - c. 386 A.D Reference(s) - RIC XI Alexandria 16 Report this Post to the Staff
FVRIVS RVFVS Pillar of the Community United States 3482 Posts	Posted Today 3H 14M ago With no intention of 'disparaging' your fine example of Mssr Arcadius It has that peculiar sort of patina that I rather associate with Home Depot . Having more than once encountered these 'artifacts' Have you tried testing it ? ie acetone bath ? Edited by FVRIVS RVFVS Today 2H 47M ago Report this Post to the Staff
tdziemia Pillar of the Community United States 8036 Posts	Posted Today 1H 0M ago It shows what a sheltered numismatic existence I lead that I wasn't aware the "manus dei" pre-dates its use on medieval (and later) coins I'm familiar with. I don't see the manus very clearly in these depictions. Is it more like a fist? I am used to seeing an open hand with visible fingers. Edited by tdziemia Today 1H 0M ago Report this Post to the Staff
Victor Pillar of the Community United States 973 Posts	Posted Today 45M ago On these Arcadius coins it is a closed hand holding a wreath, but there is an earlier type on posthumous coins of Constantine that depict the hand of God reaching down to Constantine in a quadriga. Constantine I Posthumous issue A.D. 337- 340 15x16mm 2.8gm DV CONSTANTINVS PT AVGG; Veiled head right. Rev: Emperor, veiled to right in quadriga; the hand of God reaches down to him; star in upper right field. In ex. SMANB RIC VIII Antioch 37 Eusebius wrote about these coins shortly after the death of Constantine in A.D. 337 -- "At the same time coins were struck portraying the Blessed One on the obverse in the form of one with head veiled, on the reverse like a charioteer on a quadriga, being taken up by a right hand stretched out to him from above." Life of Constantine IV 73 Report this Post to the Staff
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