My Roman Coin Research Paper

766 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Religion in the roman and greek era

My Roman coin was minted in A.D. 336 and is sized at 15mm 1.5gm. It is part of the GLORIA EXERCITVS (the glory of the army) and can be described as two soldiers wearing helmets, facing one another, reversed spear in outer hands, inner hands on shields resting on the ground; between them one standard inscribed with a Chi-Rho. (RIC VII Arles 394.) Constantine I and his son, Constantius II, had administered the remaining provinces of the Eastern Empire. The Western Empire was then divided between Constantine II and Constans. Constantine II took the lands that were previously owned his grandfather, Constantius Chlorus. In 335 A.D., the number of nummus to a pound was raised to 192, and the reverse of the GLORIA EXERCITVS coins then had only one banner because they were so much smaller.
In 336, Constantine had reconquered a large portion of Dacia for the Roman Empire. He had embraced Christianity and respected growth, although he waited to convert into Christianity until the end of his life. Ironically, Christianity ended up being the official language of the Empire. With the Edict of Milan in 313 A.D., he had granted free religious worship and recognition by the state. As a result of this, the persecution of the Church had finally …show more content…

Another important record was that the first official mention of December 25 as a holiday honoring Jesus’ birthday appears in an early Roman calendar in 336 A.D. In support to this information from another source, while there is one record of Christmas being celebrated in Antioch (Turkey) on December 25 in the middle of the second century, there is no record of its being observed on that date in Rome until the year 336 AD. In 350 AD, Pope Julius I declared December 25 the official date and in 529 AD Emperor Justinian declared Christmas a civic

Show More
Related

  • Comparing Diocletian And Constantine's Policies

    255 Words  | 1 Pages

    However, this was different compared to Constantine who converted to Christianity and evangelized people to convert to Christianity as well. Constantine ruled as emperor from 306-337 A.D. and was the first Christian emperor of the time and credited

    Read More

  • The Political And Economic Factors For The Fall Of Western Rome

    866 Words  | 2 Pages

    The decline of Rome dovetailed with the spread of christianity. The Edict of Milan legalised christianity in 313, and it later became the state religion in 380. These decrees ended the century if of persecution, but they also eroded the traditional Roman values. Christianity displaced the polytheistic religion which viewed the Roman emperor as having divine status, and it also shifted focus away from the glory of the state onto a single deity. This also meant the popes and church elders took and increased role in political affairs, further complicating the government. These loss of traditional Roman values lead to social outcries and civil unrest the eventually lead to bloodshed.

    Read More

  • The Rise And Fall Of Christianity And Afro-Eurasia

    751 Words  | 2 Pages

    The rise of Christianity in Rome did not come easily. It came with much destruction and death. The spark of Christianity in Rome came from an appearance of Martyrs in Rome. Martyrs were people that were executed for going against the common beliefs of pagan (polytheistic) ways. (Tignor, 2011, p. 286) Because of these awful executions, Christianity is said to be based off of “the blood of martyrs.” One of their main ways of spreading Christianity was through the sharing of their writings and by 300 CE there was an exceptional amount of book production throughout Rome. (Tignor, 2011, p. 289) “Christianity operated as one among many minority religions in the Roman Empire, and on several occasions experienced widespread persecution, especially under the emperors Nero (r. 54–68), Decius (r. 249–251), and Diocletian (r. 284–305). However, the situation changed radically under the emperor Constantine (r. 306–337), who in 313 issued the Edict of Milan that made Christianity a legitimate religion in the empire.” (Melton, 2010, p. 634)

    Read More

  • Keep Christ in Christmas

    943 Words  | 2 Pages

    Few people can confidently say why the United States celebrates Christmas on December 25. And I imagine even fewer people know why we give gifts, or why we pucker up when we find ourselves under some mistletoe. The answers to these questions are under a thick layer of rich human and mythological history. For me, the majority of these discoveries were absolutely shocking—Christ was never in Christmas.

    Read More

  • The Ghost of Christmas Present

    648 Words  | 2 Pages

    Christmas was originally supposed to be a celebration of the birthday of Jesus Christ. Modern historians suggest that Christ was actually born sometime in April, but that is hardly the point; the point is that a day on which to celebrate his birth and life was needed, and so one was chosen. During the season surrounding this holiday -- especially since it coincided with that of other, similar holidays -- it was thought right to honor Jesus by acting as he did, i.e., in a kind, generous, and forgiving manner. Out of this sprung the custom of giving gifts to loved ones on this holiday.

    Read More

  • The History of Favlius Valerius Constantinus

    1221 Words  | 3 Pages

    Flavius Valerius Constantinus, also known as Constantine the Great, was the first Roman emperor to adopt Christianity. He was educated in the imperial court of Rome and pursued to succeed his father. In 305 A.D., his father became the emperor of the Western Empire. But, when he died in 306 A.D., British troops declared that Constantine should replace his father. The Eastern emperor Galerius refused this claim and gave Constantine a lesser rank.

    Read More

  • Discuss The Role Of Polytheism In The Roman Empire

    290 Words  | 1 Pages

    By the fourth century C.E., the Roman Empire was declining. After so many years of perseverance the Roman Empire began to give into the changes that were happening all around them. One change in particular was the spread of Christianity. This new religion went against the traditions of the Romans, it was monotheistic and focused on the will of God. A religion that began small and under persecution became the official religion of the Roman Empire.

    Read More

  • Roman Coinage

    1504 Words  | 4 Pages

    As distinct historical documents, Ancient Roman coins undeniably provide key insights into the culture and government of the time. Designed by rulers and the government, these coins do have limitations in the breadth of their historical representation: they do not necessarily reflect the goals and values of the people ruled. Yet herein lies their value as relevant governmental artifacts. Coins functioned similarly to political ads; they communicated values and intentions and were small, widely disseminated representations of how rulers wished to appear to the populace. Boldly breaking tradition, Julius Caesar became the first ruler to portray himself on coins, also utilizing inscriptions to proclaim his superiority as dictator. Establishing himself under a different title and a shift to idealized portraiture, Augustus later used coinage to maintain the guise of res restaurata while distancing himself from Caesar. Though an ancient Roman coin constitutes just a slice of life, it was emblematic as a valuable political tool for both rulers in controlling their desired public images.

    Read More

  • How Did Constantine The Great Conversion To Christianity?

    1045 Words  | 3 Pages

    Constantine also sent letters around the Roman Empire to tell them about the empire’s conversion to Christianity. By 400 A.D., Christianity became the official religion practiced by almost all Romans. Clovis was not as dedicated as Constantine was to his conversion, and his actions did not show as much dedication as Constantine’s did. Though Constantine and Clovis’ effects were the same, their commitment to Christianity differed. Constantine went far beyond the Edict of Milan, which extended indulgence of Christians during the persecution.

    Read More

  • Edict Of Milan Christian Toleration Effects

    1213 Words  | 3 Pages

    Constantine felt that the acceptance of Christianity would cause the religion to grow numerically and have greater influence in all areas of society. He also felt Christianity was the best religious choice for the people under his rule and beyond. Without the Edict of Milan, Christians would of been forced to continue secretly meeting in underground churches. Also, the pagan torture would have persisted and the confiscation and plundering of Christian churches would have still remained. Without the recognition of Christianity, the Christians would not have been able to maintain equal status with people from other religions.

    Read More

  • The Effects of Constantine's Conversion on the Church in the West

    1998 Words  | 4 Pages

    Constantine’s conversion made him more tolerant of Christianity in Rome, allowing the Church to spread to other parts of his empire and to preach in public society. Constantine is praised as the emperor who made Christianity no longer anti-Roman. Had Constantine not converted and reformed Rome, the Church would have never been able to gain as much of a foothold in Rome and the West. His conversion ended the widespread persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire and greatly increased Christian power and influence in Rome. Additionally, his conversion contributed Roman law to the Catholic Heritage of the West, forming a basis of Western thought on law and justice. The time frame significant to Constantine and the Church stretches back to as early as Nero’s persecution in AD 64 all the way to after the death of Constantine in ca. AD 400, when paganism in Rome finally fell.

    Read More

  • Constantine the Great

    1346 Words  | 3 Pages

    Constantine the Great, first Christian Emperor, originator of Constantinople, creator of the Byzantine Empire, military conqueror, and honored saint, has been labeled by many the most instrumental emperor of the Roman Empire. Constantine played a crucial role in the development of Europe during the Middle Ages, and founded Christianity as the formal religion of the Roman Empire. His dynamic yet effective predominance laid the infrastructure of European development. From his humble beginnings, to his command of the Roman Empire, to his final days, Constantine’s impact on world history and Christianity has left behind an unforgettable legacy. He was described by Eusebius as “such an emperor as all history records not.” Ware compared him to, “a watershed in the history of the Church.” Additionally, Meyendorff states, “No single human being in history has contributed to the conversion of so many to the Christian faith.” Norwich declared that “No ruler in all of history has ever more fully merited his title of ‘the Great’…Constantine has serious claim to be considered the most influential man in all of history.” Some of Constantine’s notable acts in the history of Christianity was his calling of the first Ecumenical Council at Nicaea, his institution of freedom for Christianity with the Edict of Milan, and the relocation of the capital of empire from Rome to Constantinople.

    Read More

  • Constantine I: The Real Decline Of The Byzantine Empire

    348 Words  | 1 Pages

    Constantine I, was a Roman Emperor in 330, Constantine decided to make Constantinople the new seat of the Roman Empire: it could be said that this was the real starting date of the Byzantine Empire. While the Western Roman Empire crumbled and fell by 476, the Byzantine one flourished and lasted until 1453 when Constantinople was finally taken by Ottomans. Byzantine Empire was the continuation of the Roman Empire in the eastern part of the Mediterranean. In the course of the fourth century, the Roman world became Increasingly Christian, and the Byzantine Empire was certainly a Christian state.

    Read More

  • Roman Gold Coin Analysis

    398 Words  | 1 Pages

    In Israel, while a hiker was hiking, the hiker found a rare old Roman gold coin hidden in the grass. The coin was about 2,000 years old with an emperor’s face on it. In the article Hiker finds rare gold coin in Israel, Dr. Danny Syon states “this coin is rare on a global level”. It states in the article “Laurie Rimon discovered coin while hiking in eastern Galilee recently, not far from the biblical site”. Laurie Rimon states “but I hope I will see it displayed in a museum in the near future”.

    Read More

  • History of christmas

    476 Words  | 1 Pages

    It's thought that Jesus of Nazareth was born in springtime. A Pope, Julius I, chose December 25th for the celebration of his birth in the 4th century -- to include a Christian element in the long-established mid-winter festivals.

    Read More

More about My Roman Coin Research Paper

Open Document