Constantinus(Divine Constantine) in the legend (fig. 11.35). Christianity did not
fully convert the coinage until the fifth centuryad.
The exception to the rule in the fourth century are the coins of the western usurpers
Magnentius and Decentius inad 350 –3, who use the chi-rhosymbol as their prin-
cipal type on their base-metal coins, flanked by an alphaand an omega, referring to
Christ’s description of himself in the Book of Revelation as the “Alpha and the Omega,
the beginning and the end” (Revelation 22.13) (fig. 11.36). This design is accom-
panied by the legend SALVS DD NN AVG ET CAES (“The salvation of our masters
Augustus and Caesar”), presumably referring to Christ himself in this instance. Their
contemporary, Vetranio, who was briefly elevated to the purple in Illyricum in 350,
also proclaimed his Christianity on base-metal coins which cite the famous vision
of Constantine at the Milvian Bridge inad 312 with the legend HOC SIGNO
VICTOR ERIS (“With this standard you will be victorious”), around a type of the
emperor being crowned by Victory and holding the labarumemblazoned with the
chi-rhosymbol (fig. 11.37). All three usurpers were proclaiming their Christianity,
as well as advertising their loyalty to the dynasty of Constantine, with which the
chi-rhomotif as a public emblem was intimately associated (Dearn 2003).
160 Jonathan Williams
Figure 11.34 Gold solidus of Constantine I, c. ad325, showing him “at prayer.” 21 mm.Figure 11.35 Bronze coin commemorating the death of Constantine I (ad337). He is
welcomed into heaven by the hand of the Christian God on the reverse, but called “Divine
Constantine” on the obverse. 15 mm.Figure 11.36 Bronze coin of the usurper-emperor Magnentius (ad350 –3), with
prominent chi-rho symbol. 26 mm.