Roman Imperial Coins

Lot 4165    SESSION 14 (11.30am Friday)    Roman Imperial Coins

Estimate $100
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $120

MAGNENTIUS, (A.D.350-353), AE centenionalis, Treveri mint, (4.432 grams), obv. I M CAE MAGN ENTIVS AVG, bare headed bust, draped and cuirassed to right, rev. around FELICITAS REIPVBLICE, TRP in exergue, Magnentius standing to left holding Victory and labarum with Chi-Rho symbol, A in right field, (S.4018, RIC 264). Dark tone, good very fine, with peripheral edge corrosion.

The most widely used Christogram is the four-letter abbreviation ICXC - a traditional abbreviation of the Greek words for "Jesus Christ". One of the oldest Christograms used is the Chi-Rho or Labarum. It consists of the superimposed Greek letters Chi and Rho which are the first two letters of christ in Greek. Technically, the word labarum is Latin for a standard with a little flag hanging on it and used by the army. A Christogram was added to the flag as an image of the Greek letters Chi Rho, in the late Roman period. So Christogram and labarum are not originally synonyms.