Obverse: DN CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES; raped and Cuirassed Bust of the Emperor Facing Righ
Reverse: FEL TEMP REPARATIO; A Soldier Spearing a Fallen Persian Horsema
Constantius Gallus was a cousin of Constantius II. Constantius made him caesar in A. D. 351. Gallus was sent to govern the Eastern provinces but soon gained a reputation as a harsh and oppressive tyrant. The citizens voiced their complaints loudly to Constantius II and appeared to be on the verge of revolt. Constantius Gallus was recalled to Milan to answer to his cousin the emperor but was arrested and executed while on the way to answer the summons.
How many hands have touched a coin in your pocket or purse? What eras and lands have the coin traversed on its journey into our possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of who might have touched the coin before us, or where the coin will venture to after it leaves our hands. More than money, coins are a symbol of the state that struck them, of a specific time and location, whether contemporary currencies or artifacts of a long forgotten empire. This stunning hand-struck coin reveals an expertise of craftsmanship and intricate sculptural detail that is often lacking in contemporary machine-made currencies. This ancient coin is a memorial to Constantius Gallus passed from the hands of civilization to civilization, from generation to generation that still appears as vibrant today as the day it was struck.