ROMAN COINS FOUND AT LITTLE CHESTER. 1 27 



his Step mother, his death was brought about somehow, 

 but whether by assassination or poison is not clear. It 

 appears the matter of the accusation was cleared up through the 

 influence of Helena, the aged mother of Constantine, and he 

 afterwards, it is said, erected a statue to his memory of silver and 

 gold, inscribed, " My son, unjustly condemned." This is the 

 St. Helen who is said to have found the true Cross at Jerusalem. 



CONSTANTINVS . IV . NB . C . (Constantine II.) Bust 

 to right, with a wreath or fillet, a military dress ; legend, GLOR . 

 IN . EXERCITYS ; rev., two military standards, with a symbol 

 between them ; on each side a soldier holding shield and spear ; 

 exergue, PCONST. Plate III. No. 14. (Mr. Lee.)— M. Cohen, 

 tome 5, pp. 263-4, remarking on these letters, says, " CONS T : a 

 part of the coins with CONS or CONST ought to be attributed 

 to the town of Aries, which took at this period the name of 

 Constantine, and the four workmen or coiners, who had for 

 exergue P. Const, Q. Const. We find this change at the end of 

 Constantine's reign, under Constantine II. and his two brothers. 

 Under Magnentius and Decentius the name of Aries was restored; 

 from Julius II. to Theodosius I. the town re-took the name 

 Constantine." 



This coin is a Constantine II. ; his imperial seat was 

 at Constantinople, and he had for his share, on the division 

 of the empire — which took place on the death of his father, 

 between the three brothers— Gaul, Spain, Britain, and Africa. 

 About three years after this division, he being dissatisfied, tried 

 to get from his brother Constass part of Italy ; but the latter took 

 up arms against him, and the result was that Constantine, the 

 elder brother, was slain, and his body thrown into the river Alsa, 

 a short distance from Aquileia, but was afterwards recovered and 

 buried at Constantinople, near his father, Constantine the Great. 

 Constans now became master of above two-thirds of the Roman 

 Empire. This was in A.D. 340 ; but ten years after, IMagnentius 

 (Plate III., No. 15) determined to wrest the government from 

 him, and, having brought about the assassination of Constans, he 



