ROMAN Constans AD 337-350 AE4 BI Nummus / Army Soldiers NGC (173)

FLAVIUS IULIUS CONSTANS AUGUSTUS WAS THE
THIRD AND YOUNGEST SON OF CONSTANTINE THE GREAT BY EMPRESS FAUSTA. HE WAS
ELEVATED TO THE RANK OF CAESAR (JUNIOR EMPEROR) BY HIS FATHER AT CONSTANTINOPLE
IN 333. WHEN CONSTANTINE DIED IN 337, CONSTANS AND HIS BROTHERS, CONSTANTINE II
AND CONSTANTIUS II, DIVIDED THE EMPIRE BETWEEN THEM, AND PURGED THE FAMILY OF
ANY POSSIBLE THREATS TO THEIR POWER.



ALL THREE BROTHERS WERE PROCLAIMED AUGUSTII (EMPERORS) BY THE ARMY THAT YEAR,
AND CONSTANS LED A TRIUMPHANT MILITARY ACTION AGAINST INVADING SARMATIANS BEFORE
YEARS’ END.



CONSTANS, WHO HAD BEEN UNDER THE GUARDIANSHIP OF HIS ELDEST BROTHER, WAS UNHAPPY
WITH HIS LOT OF THE PARTITION OF THE EMPIRE, INITIALLY ITALY AND AFRICA. THE
BROTHERS MET IN 338 TO REVISE THEIR BOUNDRARIES. THE PARTITION HAD ALSO INCLUDED
THEIR COUSIN, DALMATIUS.



THEY SQUABBLED OVER THE DIVISION OF PROVINCES, AND ALTHOUGH CONSTANS HAD COME OF
AGE, CONSTANTINE II’s REFUSED TO RELINQUISH HIS GUARDIANSHIP. TENSIONS LED TO
WAR WITH THE INVASION OF ITALY BY CONTSANTINE II IN 340.



THE INVASION PROVED FATAL FOR CONSTANTINE II, WHO WAS KILLED IN AN ABMUSH
OUTSIDE OF AQUILEIA, AND CONSTANS TOOK CONTROL OF HIS PROVINCES.



AFTER SUCCESSFUL MILITARY CAMPAIGNS IN HIS EARLY REIGN, AND ENGAGING IN DISPUTES
BETWEEN FACTIONS WITHIN THE CHURCH, HIS RULE AND REPUTATION PLUMEMTED DUE TO HIS
INDULGENCE IN UNPOPULAR VICES SUCH AS HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONS WITH “HANDSOME
BARBARIAN HOSTAGES”, AND OF PERCEIVED MISRULE AND ABJECT CRUELTY. CONSTANS LOST
SUPPORT OF HIS LEGIONS, AND IN 350, GENERAL MAGNETIUS DECLARED HIMSELF EMPEROR,
WITH SUPPORT OF THE RHINE LEGIONS, AND THEN THE REST OF THE WESTERN PROVINCES.



CONSTANS WAS FORCED TO FLEE, BUT WAS CORNERED BY SUPPORTERS OF MAGNETIUS IN A
FORTRESS IN GAUL, AND KILLED.