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Ancient Roman Coinage
AELIA FLACILLA
ROMAN EMPIRE
AELIA FLACILLA
Wife of Theodosius I
Mother of future Emperors Arcadius and Honorius &
383-408 AD
On the throne Aelia Flacilla was a shining example of Christian virtue and ardent charity. St. Ambrose describes her as "a soul true to God" (Fidelis anima Deo. — "De obitu Theodosii", n. 40, in P.L., XVI, 1462). In his panegyric St. Gregory of Nyssa bestowed the highest praise on her virtuous life and pictured her as the helpmate of the emperor in all good works, an ornament of the empire, a leader of justice, an image of beneficence. He praises her as filled with zeal for the Faith, as a pillar of the Church, as a mother of the indigent. Theodoret in particular exalts her charity and benevolence (Church History V.19, ed. Valesius, III, 192 sq.). He tells us how she personally tended cripples, and quotes a saying of hers: "To distribute money belongs to the imperial dignity, but I offer up for the imperial dignity itself personal service to the Giver." Her humility also attracts a special meed of praise from the church historian. Flaccilla was buried in Constantinople, St. Gregory of Nyssa delivering her funeral oration. She is venerated in the Greek Church as a saint, and her feast is kept on 14 September. The Bollandists (Acta SS., Sept., IV, 142) are of the opinion that she is not regarded as a saint but only as venerable, but her name stands in the Greek Menæa and Synaxaria followed by words of eulogy, as is the case with the other saints (cf. e.g. Synaxarium eccl. Constantinopolitanæ, ed. Delehaye, Brussels, 1902, col. 46, under 14 Sept.). (NewAdvent.org).
Æ4 (bronze) 15mm / Nummus. 1.02 gm. Small coin cf. U.S. dime at 17.9mm.
Constantinople mint. Struck circa 379-388 AD.
Obverse: AEL FLACILLA AVG--Unabridged legend: Aelia Flaccilla Augusta ~ translation: " Aelia Flaccilla Empress", diademed bust right of Aelia Flacilla.
Reverse: SALVS REIPVBLICAE ~ Translation:
"Salvation of the State", Victory seated right, inscribing Chi-Rho "☧" on shield set on a small column ~ Chi-Rho X-P are the first two letters for Christ in Greek); CONB mint mark in exergue (Constantinople B=2nd Officina).
Ref. RIC IX 61; LRBC 2162.
Choice Very Fine. Ex Classical Numismatic Group Inventory Number 733257, Sold November 2002 for $95. Insert included. This coin is also listed on acsearch.info ~ the online ancient coin database of coins sold at major auctions. see link here (need to copy/paste):
https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=30176
Rare Issue.
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