Follis - Constantius II FEL TEMP REPARATIO, fallen horseman, Barbarous imitation

Historical Context: The reign of Constantius II (337-361 CE) was a period of intense military activity and political flux for the Roman Empire, marked by conflicts with the Sasanian Persians and various Germanic tribes. The FEL TEMP REPARATIO series, meaning "Restoration of Happy Times," was introduced around 348 CE to celebrate imperial victories and project an image of stability. The "fallen horseman" type, depicting a Roman soldier spearing a barbarian, was particularly common. This barbarous imitation, struck between 350-360 CE, reflects a breakdown in centralized authority, economic instability, and a severe shortage of official currency in frontier regions or areas with limited access to imperial mints, leading to local production of substitute coinage.

Artistry: This coin originates from an uncertain barbarous city, indicating production by an anonymous, likely untrained artisan working outside the official Roman mint system. Consequently, it belongs to no recognized stylistic school beyond the broad category of "barbarous imitation." The artistic execution is characterized by extreme simplification and abstraction of the imperial prototype. The obverse likely features a highly stylized, almost caricatured bust of Constantius II, with blundered or entirely illegible legends. The reverse design, the "fallen horseman," is rendered schematically, with figures reduced to basic forms, often disproportionate, and lacking the dynamic realism or intricate detail of the official Roman issues.

Technical/Grading: This piece, weighing 1.6 grams and measuring 15 millimeters, exemplifies the typical characteristics of barbarous imitations: significantly reduced module and weight compared to official folles. The strike quality is inherently poor, often off-center with an irregular, frequently ragged flan. Details that would constitute high-points on official issues—such as the soldier's helmet or the horse's musculature—are invariably flat, indistinct, or entirely lost due to crude die engraving and weak striking pressure. The bronze alloy itself may exhibit porosity or impurities, further betraying its unofficial, local production. The complete absence of a mintmark is a defining technical characteristic.