These genuine Ancient Roman bronze coins have been set in a pair of modern 18 karat gold cufflinks. Flavius Julius Constantius was born on August 7, 317 to Fausta and...
These genuine Ancient Roman bronze coins have been set in a pair of modern 18 karat gold cufflinks.
Flavius Julius Constantius was born on August 7, 317 to Fausta and Constantine the Great. He became Caesar on November 8, 324 and Augustus on September 9, 337 after his father's death. He received the eastern provinces in the division of the Empire with his brothers Constans and Constantine II. He spent much of his reign warring with the Sassanian Empire under Sapor II, but suppressed Magnentius, the murderer of Constans, to become the sole Augustus in August of 353. He died of illness on November 3, 361 near Tarsus while marching to suppress Julian II, who had declared himself Augustus in early 360. Like his father before him, Constantius II played a prominent role in the early history of the Christian Church. He was a tolerant and just ruler, although he stifled any possible competitors to his power. These two handsome coins show the noble profile of Constantius wearing a laurel wreath and cuirass. On the reverse of one are two victories facing each other. The power of these coins comes from the strength of a ruler who carried on the line of the great Constantine I; just as the wearer of these cuff links will continue a long tradition of ornamentation bearing impressive images of the past.