Item number: A2810

Year: AD 312-324

Material: Bronze

Size: 22.6 x 19.0 x 1.2 mm

Weight: 2.7 g

Manufactured by:  Cyzicus, Turkey

Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2020

This is a Nummus bronze coin issued during the reign of Licinius, who ruled between AD 312 and AD 324, a period marked by the Tetrarchy system of joint imperial rule in the Roman Empire. The coin was struck in the province of Asia, corresponding to modern-day Turkey, under his authority. The term nummus in Latin refers to a “coin” and was commonly used in the Roman period to denote copper-based coinage.

The coin’s surface has become worn and damaged over time, resulting in an oval shape. The obverse features a right-facing portrait of Licinius, depicted with a full beard. Surrounding the portrait is a Latin inscription reading “IMP LIC LICINIVS P F AVG,” signifying “Imperator Licinius Pius Felix Augustus.”

The reverse depicts Jupiter, the king of the ancient Roman gods, draped in a long cloak. He holds a sceptre in his left hand and a globe in his right, upon which stands a small figure of Victory holding a wreath. Beside Jupiter is a crouching eagle, grasping a wreath in its beak. Below the figures, along the exergue line, appears the mint mark “SMK,” identifying the mint as Cyzicus in the Roman province of Asia.

Encircling the reverse scene is the legend “IOVI CONSERVATORI,” meaning “To Jupiter the Protector.” To the right of the design appears the letter “C,” denoting the officina (workshop) mark of the mint.

Licinius rose from a military background, beginning his career as an officer under Galerius, the Caesar (junior emperor) of the Eastern Roman Empire and a childhood companion. The office of Caesar emerged as part of Diocletian’s administrative reforms; in AD 293, Diocletian divided the vast Roman Empire into Eastern and Western halves, each governed jointly by an Augustus (senior emperor) and a Caesar (junior emperor). This system came to be known as the Tetrarchy, or “rule of four.”

In AD 308, Galerius, then serving as Augustus of the Eastern Empire, elevated Licinius to the nominal position of Augustus of the West. Following the death of Galerius in AD 311, Licinius assumed control over his former territories. Subsequently, Licinius forged an alliance with Constantine, cemented through a dynastic marriage, with the two men respectively becoming Augusti of the Eastern and Western Roman Empires.

However, beginning in AD 314, Constantine launched a series of military campaigns against Licinius, ultimately forcing his surrender in AD 324. Although Licinius was initially spared through the intercession of Empress Constantia — Constantine’s half-sister and Licinius’s wife — his reprieve proved temporary. In AD 325, Constantine ordered the execution of Licinius and his son, on the pretext of conspiring to incite rebellion among the barbarian contingents within the imperial army.

物件編號: A2810

年代: 公元 312-324 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 22.6 x 19.0 x 1.2 mm

重量: 2.7 g

製造地: 基齊庫斯，土耳其

來源: 福君錢幣 2020

這是一枚公元312至324年，活躍於羅馬四帝共治時期的李錫尼，在其統治下位於今日土耳其的亞細亞行省鑄造之努米銅幣。「努米」在拉丁文的意思是「硬幣」，於羅馬時代是指稱以銅為主要原料的硬幣。

錢幣外觀因年代久遠有破損呈現為橢圓形。錢幣正面是蓄著落腮鬍的李錫尼右側肖像。肖像周圍以拉丁文打印頭銜「IMP LIC LICINIVS P F AVG」意思是「李錫尼」。

錢幣背面是古代羅馬的眾神之王，身著長披風的朱比特，他的左手握著權杖，右手則握著一個球體，球體頂端是捧著花冠的勝利女神作為裝飾。而在朱比特身旁有一隻蹲伏的老鷹，老鷹的嘴上也銜著一頂花冠。朱比特和老鷹站立的地平線下方則打印鑄幣地點的戳記「SMK」，即位於亞細亞行省的基齊庫斯。

錢幣周圍的環形銘文「IOVI CONSERVATORI」意思是「保護者朱比特」，右側的符號「C」則是鑄幣廠的戳記。

李錫尼出身行伍其事業始於擔任兒時玩伴，帝國東部凱撒(副皇帝) 伽列里烏斯的部將。「副皇帝」這個職務的出現跟戴克里先的改革有關，公元293年，戴克里先為治理龐大的疆域將帝國分為東西兩部，分別有各自的「奧古斯都」(皇帝) 和「凱撒」(副皇帝) 共同治理，這套制度被稱作「四帝共治」。公元308年，彼時是帝國東部奧古斯都的伽列里烏斯擢升李錫尼為名意上西部的奧古斯都。公元311年，李錫尼接管逝世的伽列里烏斯領地。後續李錫尼和君士坦丁建立同盟和聯姻，兩人分別成為東部和西部的奧古斯都。

然而公元314年起，君士坦丁向李錫尼發動戰爭，最終於公元324年逼迫李錫尼投降。李錫尼雖然在皇后君士坦提婭，即君士坦丁的同父異母妹妹求情下保住一命。但是公元325年，君士坦丁仍以煽動軍隊中的蠻族叛亂為藉口絞殺李錫尼父子。