Constantine I, known as “the Great,” was the first Roman emperor to adopt Christianity and the founder of Constantinople. He legalized the religion through the Edict of Milan and promoted the construction of major churches, such as the Old St. Peter's Basilica and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. At the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 AD, he defeated Maxentius after ordering his troops to carry a Christian symbol, supposedly revealed in a dream. Over time, he abandoned the cult of traditional gods and converted to Christianity, being baptized shortly before his death in 337 AD at approximately 65 years of age. His change of faith profoundly influenced the shaping of the Western world, as Christianity became a unifying element of the West during the Middle Ages.
Victoria, in ancient Roman religion, was the goddess who personified triumph and was the equivalent of the Greek Nike. She represented victory in war and was commonly depicted as a winged figure, often in pairs. These figures symbolized triumph rather than the deity herself and continued to appear after the Christianization of the Empire, gradually evolving into representations of angels.
Obverse: Cuirassed and helmeted bust of Constantine I facing right.
Reverse: Two Victories standing facing each other, holding a shield inscribed with VOT PR over an altar.
- Legend: IMP CONSTANTINVS AVG.
- Composition: Bronze
- Denomination: Nummus
- Date: AD 307–337
- NGC Certificate: 6829082-131
