Help Identify A Coin

A late Roman bronze coin, in the name of Crispus, caesar or "junior emperor" from 317 to 326 AD, the son and heir-designate of Constantine the Great. Reverse type: PRINCIPIA IVVENTVTIS ("Prince of the Youth"), shows either Mars or the young caesar himself in Mars-like attire. Mintmark: a bit obscure, either AQT (Aquileia) or something similar.

A similar example from Wildwinds with a Rome mintmark. As to value, probably in the $10 to $20 range.

"Constantine had him murdered because of rumors that he was having an affairs with his wife."

Four ancient historians link Fausta to the death of her stepson. Zosimus is the only one who writes about an affair. "Crispus was suspected of having adulterous relations with his stepmother Fausta, and was therefore executed." Zosimus wrote this more than a century after the incident, so he was hardly in the know. He was most likely repeating gossip he had heard and as a pagan, he was very critical of Constantine and tried to portray him in a negative fashion. Aurelius Victor, who was born circa 320 A.D., had only this to say about the incident, "when the eldest (Crispus), had for reasons unknown, perished condemned by his father."

There have been many theories though, including an interesting one from Gibbon that Helena, the wife of Crispus, was the daughter of Licinius I.


Suggestions for further reading

P. Guthrie, "The Execution of Crispus." Phoenix 20 (1966) : 325- 331.

Hans A. Pohlsander, "Crispus: Brilliant Career and Tragic End." Historia : Zeitschrift für alte Geschichte 33 (1984) : 79-106.

David Woods, "On the Death of the Empress Fausta." Greece & Rome 45, No. 1. (April 1998) : 70-86.


From my page on Crispus

http://www.constantinethegreatcoins.com/soap/