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To participate in the forum you must log in or register. | Author |
 Replies: 4 / Views: 2,065 |
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Rest in Peace
United States
1729 Posts |
I've just finished reading a fascinating book: "Constantine the Great - The Man and His Times", by Michael Grant. This edition has been republished by Barnes & Noble, and priced at $5.98, it somehow leaped off the display table in B&N into my hands.
Other biographies of Constantine have been published, but what fascinated me was Grant's ongoing use of coins of Constantine's time to help tell the story. Throughout the book, he describes coinage during this period of the Roman Empire as bits of history themselves, especially in the use of Latin inscriptions to proclaim victories over various enemies and as bits of propaganda to assure the populace that everything was wonderful.
Grant makes it a point to show that Constantine's reign was the turning point in Roman history and that it was all downhill after and perhaps before his death, due to excessive taxation, integration of the northern barbarians (Germans) into his armies, his embracing of Christianity, his corruption, and other factors. Although it's a bit of a scholarly read, Grant makes sure that the reader can follow the movements of Constantine by including modern place names next to each ancient name and by explaining carefully the nature and importance of various events. The organization of the book is not chronological but topical: "Constantine at War", "Constantine and the State", "Constantine and Christianity", and "The End and the Aftermath".
If you've ever wanted to know about Constantine the Great without spending the next year in research, this book is for you! I recommend it to anyone who has ever held a coin with Constantine's or his offspring's visage on the obverse.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2448 Posts |
I know, I have "A Brief History of Byzantium" and am actually amazed at what occurred. You have to remember that he ruled from the East (Byzatium: Aka Constantinople); Rome did all that by itself after his death.
Edited by carmykle
10/24/2010 10:43 pm
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Sounds like an interesting book, I'll have to get a copy.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
pls: Your book reference I would say is a very good one. I have other books covering Roman coins by the same author.
I was in the Coins and Medals Department of the British Museum many years ago, looking at Byzantine gold. I also asked the people there about late Roman bronze coinage, because it is relatively inexpensive to collect, and can be as absorbing as to those who collect wheat cents.
The book recommended was Late Roman Bronze Coinage, by Carson Hill and Kent, publ. Spink & Son London, 1972. I bought a copy in 1973 for $7.50. It is really a catalogue of information on the various types mints and officinae in a semi tabularised form. It is a slim volume of about 120 pages, and compact with information. If you wanted a copy of this out of print book, email Spink's, and I'll bet you that given enough time, they will find a copy for you. I would guess they might ask you for about $30 to $40 to supply one.
These authors also wrote most of the Roman Imperial Catalogue, (R.I.C), of which I am fortunate enough to have a copy of all volumes in this series. Something like 10,000 main types of Roman coins are identified and described.
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Rest in Peace
 United States
1729 Posts |
Thanks for the suggestions. I've been using "The Handbook of Roman Imperial cons" by David Van Meter, which is useful but not complete by any means, especially when I try to look up mint marks in it. If I ever get really serious about collecting Roman coins I'll have to try to locate a copy of the Carson-Hill-Kent book, too. Alibris.com lists copies available from $25.00 and up. Interesting that Grant also wrote books on Roman coinage, too - I didn't know that he did, but I'm not surprised. |
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Replies: 4 / Views: 2,065 |
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Posted 10/24/2010 11:21 pm
