Nummus - Constantius II VOT XX MVLT XXX; Alexandria

Reverse

Legend in a crown

Script: Latin

Lettering: VOT XX MVLT XXX

Translation:
"Votis vicennalibus Multis tricennalibus"
(Wishes for the twentieth anniversary of reign and more for the incoming thirtieth anniversary)

Edge

Rough

Comment

The decennalia of Constans begin in 342 and the vicennalia of Constantius II in 343. If these coins are well dated to 347-348, they could commemorate the fifteenth anniversary for Constans and the twenty-fifth for Constantius. For this issue, the workshop worked with ten offices. As the Empire became Christian, the Greek letter theta, which also symbolized death for the pagans (thanatos), could now be used

This is an automatic translation. The original text is:

Les decennalia de Constans débutent en 342 et les vicennalia de Constance II en 343. Si ces monnaies sont bien datées de 347-348, elles pourraient commémorer le quinzième anniversaire pour Constans et le vingt-cinquième pour Constance. Pour cette émission, l'atelier fonctionne avec dix officines. L'Empire devenant chrétien, la lettre grecque thêta qui symbolise aussi la mort pour les païens (thanatos) peut-être maintenant utilisée

Interesting fact

One interesting fact about this coin is that it features the first Christian symbol, the Chi-Rho, on its reverse side. The Chi-Rho is a combination of the first two letters of the Greek word "Christos" (Χριστός), which means "Christ." This symbol was used by Emperor Constantine, who ruled from 306 to 337 AD, as a symbol of his Christian faith and was later adopted as a standard feature on Roman coins during the reign of Constantius II, who ruled from 337 to 361 AD. This coin, minted in Alexandria, Egypt, in 347-348 AD, is one of the earliest examples of a Roman coin bearing the Chi-Rho symbol.

• no continent
• ancient