Description
Flavius Valerius Cōnstantius (Constantius I), as Western Caesar under the First Tetrarchy 293-305 AD, Silver Argenteus (2.51g, 18mm), Rome mint 295 AD. Obverse: Laureate head of Constantius I facing to the right, legend surrounds, “CONSTANTIVS CAES”. Reverse: Western and Eastern Augusti and Caesares of the first Tetrarchy stand together sacrificing over tripod, each wearing military attire and paludamentum, six-turreted camp/city enclosure, legend surrounds, “VICTORIA SARMA”. Gautier-23; RIC- (RIC-17a for ‘VICTORIA SARMAT’ type). An unpublished type in RIC, despite the softer obverse strike the piece is typically imposing, particularly when held in hand, and the reverse die work is notably exceptional and sharp, details Extremely Fine, reverse near Mint State.
The obverse Latin legend names the emperor’s praenomen as well as his title as Caesar, stated unabridged as “Cōnstantius Caesar”. The reverse Latin legend commemorates the victorious Sarmatian campaigns in the east by Diocletian, an achievement shared by all four Tetrarchs, reading unabridged as “victōria Sarmatica”, with an English translation of “victory over the Sarmatians”.