Roman Empire Nicomedia Licinius I. 308-324 AD BI Redused Nummus NGC Ch AU (059)

Roman Coin, Nicomedia Licinius I. 308-324 AD BI Redused Nummus

ISSUE OF EMPEROR LICINIUS I

CO-RULER AND RIVAL OF CONSTANTINE THE GREAT

GRADED NGC Ch AU

OBV: LAUREATE AND MANTLED BUST OF LICINIUS RIGHT.

REV: FULL STANDING DEPICTION OF SOL HOLDING GLOBE.

GAIUS VALERIUS LICINIANUS LICINIUS AUGUSTUS (b. 236 – d. 335) WAS ROMAN EMPEROR FROM 308 TO 324. BORN A PEASANT, HE BECAME THE CHILDHOOD FRIEND OF THE FUTURE EMPEROR GALERIUS, AND THROUGH THIS ASSOCIATION, AND THE TRUST PLACED IN HIM BY GALERIUS, HE ROSE TO PROMINENCE.
IN 308, GALERIUS ELEVATED LICINIUS TO AUGUSTUS (EMPEROR) IN THE WEST. AFTER THE DEATH OF GALERIUS IN 311, LICINIUS SPLIT THE EMPIRE WITH EMPEROR MAXIMINUS II (DAIA), WITH THE HELLESPONT BECOMING THE DIVIDING LINE.
TO CEMENT AN ALLIANCE WITH CONSTANTINE AS A HEDGE AGAINST MAXIMINUS (WHO, IN TURN, HAD MADE AN ALLIANCE WITH MAXENTIUS, THE USURPER OF ITALY), LICINIUS MARRIED CONSTANTINE’S HALF-SISTER IN 313. THE TWO ALLIES JOINTLY ISSUED THE EDICT OF MILAN, FREEING CHRISTIANS FROM PERSECUTION WITHIN THE EMPIRE.
MAXENTIUS WAS CRUSHED BY CONSTANTINE IN 312, AND MAXIMINUS ATTACKED LICINIUS IN 313 AND WAS COMPLETELY DEFEATED. THIS TIME THE EMPIRE WAS SPLIT WITH CONSTANTINE AS RULER OF THE WEST, AND LICINIUS, EMPEROR IN THE EAST. IN 314, THE TWO EMPERORS WENT TO WAR AGAINST EACH OTHER, BUT CAME TO A SETTLEMENT WHICH LASTED FOR TEN YEARS. EVENTUALLY, WAR BROKE OUT AGAIN, WHICH RESULTED IN CONSTANTINE’S TRIUMPH OVER HIS RIVAL IN 324. INITIALLY SPARED DUE TO THE PLEAS OF HIS WIFE TO HER BROTHER, LICINIUS WAS HANGED FOR CONSPIRACY A YEAR LATER. IN THE END, CONSTANTINE REIGNED SUPREME, THE MEMORY OF LICINIUS WAS VILIFIED, HIS STATUES TORN DOWN, AND HIS EDICTS ABOLISHED.

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