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Quinarius - Constantius I as Caesar PRINCIPI IVVENT or PRINCIPI IVVENTVT
| Issuer | Roman Imperial Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 284-294 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 2.3 g |
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| Obverse description | Radiate and cuirassed bust of Constantius I Chlorus as Caesar facing right, with draped shoulder, the radiate crown depicted in the style characteristic of the Tetrarchic period. The portrait exhibits strong modelling of the facial features typical of late third-century Roman imperial coinage. The encircling obverse legend reads CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES, distributed around the periphery of the flan. The overall style reflects the military and dynastic iconography promoted under Diocletian's Tetrarchy. |
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| Obverse lettering | CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES (Translation: Constantius Nobilis Caesar. Noble Caesar Constantius.) |
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| Additional information |
The quinarius denomination had been largely moribund for centuries before Diocletian's reforms began reshuffling the Roman silver coinage hierarchy in the 280s. This piece belongs to the awkward transitional window before the argenteus was introduced around 294, when the quinarius occupied an uncertain position — struck in debased silver that bore little resemblance to its Republican ancestors. Constantius held the rank of Caesar under the Tetrarchic arrangement formalized in 293, making the dating of this type one of the more contested points among specialists, with some placing the earliest strikes as far back as the joint reign of Carinus and Numerian.