DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14696#0679
604 The double axe and the labarum
the monograms and crosses found on the coinage of Constantine
etc. He maintains that already in 312(?)—317 the forms ^ ^ x
occur on coins struck at Siscia in Pannonia Superior, the form >K on
others struck at Tarraco on the east coast of Spain. But J. Maurice
in his great work on Constantinian numismatics has given grounds
for placing these mintages a few years later. According to him, the
eighth issue at Siscia, comprising coins struck from 317 to 320,
decorates the helmet of the emperor with two distinct forms of the
Christian monogram—>|< for CHRistos on the central band and ^
for Iesous CHrisios to either side of it (fig. 501 )\ whereas the sixth
issue at Tarraco, comprising coins struck between 320 and 324, has
Fig. 501. Fig. 502.
^ only as a moneyer's mark in the field of the reverse (fig. 5°2)2-
P. Bordeaux3, criticising the notion that two Christian monograms
were thus used simultaneously and indifferently, contends that $f is
a regularised form of >£, which is merely >|< writ small. Bordeaux
may well be right. In any case the monogram underwent many
variations of shape, not on coins alone, but on monuments of all
sorts4. A few fourth-century examples, found in our own country,
are listed by T. Morgan and J. Romilly Allen5. Thus a fine mosaic
pavement in the exedra of a Roman villa at Frampton in Dorset
associates the Christian monogram (fig. 505) with the head of Nep-
tunus and other pagan designs6. Again, in another villa at Chedworth
1 J. Maurice Numistnatique Constantinienne Paris 1911 ii. 287 with fig., 329 ff. pi. 10,
4 ( = my fig. 501) and 5.
2 Id. ib. ii. 262 ff. pi. 8, 7 ( = my fig. 502), 8—10 bis.
y P. Bordeaux in the Rev. Et. Gr. 1913 xxvi. 89—91.
4 See e.g. W. Lowrie Christian Art and Archceology New York 1901 p. 238 ff., H.
Leclercq Manuel d'arche'ologie chre'tienne Paris 1907 ii. 383 ff., id. in F. Cabrol Diction-
naire d'arche'ologie chritienne et de liturgie Paris 1907 i. 177 ff., E. Venables in Smith—
Cheetham Diet. Chr. Ant. ii. 908 ff., A. Hauck in The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia
of Religious Knowledge ed. S. M. Jackson New York—London 1910 vi. 167 ff.
5 T. Morgan Ro7?iano-British Mosaic Pavenients London 1886 pp. 80, 211 ff., J.
Romilly Allen Early Christian Symbolism in Great Britain and Ireland London 1887
PP- 74—77 2, 1 f. ( = my figs. 503, 504) and 3 ( = my fig. 505).
6 S. Lysons Reliquice Britannico-Romantz London 1813 i. 3. 1 ff. pi. 5—summarised
by C. W. Bingham in The Archaeological Journal 1859 xv^ I§6 f., ib. 1865 xxii. 345.
See further A. H. Lyell A bibliographical list descriptive of Romano-British architectural
Remains in Great Britain Cambridge 1912 p. 19, and, for the accompanying inscriptions,
E. Hiibner in the Corp. insdr. Lat. vii no. 2.
the monograms and crosses found on the coinage of Constantine
etc. He maintains that already in 312(?)—317 the forms ^ ^ x
occur on coins struck at Siscia in Pannonia Superior, the form >K on
others struck at Tarraco on the east coast of Spain. But J. Maurice
in his great work on Constantinian numismatics has given grounds
for placing these mintages a few years later. According to him, the
eighth issue at Siscia, comprising coins struck from 317 to 320,
decorates the helmet of the emperor with two distinct forms of the
Christian monogram—>|< for CHRistos on the central band and ^
for Iesous CHrisios to either side of it (fig. 501 )\ whereas the sixth
issue at Tarraco, comprising coins struck between 320 and 324, has
Fig. 501. Fig. 502.
^ only as a moneyer's mark in the field of the reverse (fig. 5°2)2-
P. Bordeaux3, criticising the notion that two Christian monograms
were thus used simultaneously and indifferently, contends that $f is
a regularised form of >£, which is merely >|< writ small. Bordeaux
may well be right. In any case the monogram underwent many
variations of shape, not on coins alone, but on monuments of all
sorts4. A few fourth-century examples, found in our own country,
are listed by T. Morgan and J. Romilly Allen5. Thus a fine mosaic
pavement in the exedra of a Roman villa at Frampton in Dorset
associates the Christian monogram (fig. 505) with the head of Nep-
tunus and other pagan designs6. Again, in another villa at Chedworth
1 J. Maurice Numistnatique Constantinienne Paris 1911 ii. 287 with fig., 329 ff. pi. 10,
4 ( = my fig. 501) and 5.
2 Id. ib. ii. 262 ff. pi. 8, 7 ( = my fig. 502), 8—10 bis.
y P. Bordeaux in the Rev. Et. Gr. 1913 xxvi. 89—91.
4 See e.g. W. Lowrie Christian Art and Archceology New York 1901 p. 238 ff., H.
Leclercq Manuel d'arche'ologie chre'tienne Paris 1907 ii. 383 ff., id. in F. Cabrol Diction-
naire d'arche'ologie chritienne et de liturgie Paris 1907 i. 177 ff., E. Venables in Smith—
Cheetham Diet. Chr. Ant. ii. 908 ff., A. Hauck in The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia
of Religious Knowledge ed. S. M. Jackson New York—London 1910 vi. 167 ff.
5 T. Morgan Ro7?iano-British Mosaic Pavenients London 1886 pp. 80, 211 ff., J.
Romilly Allen Early Christian Symbolism in Great Britain and Ireland London 1887
PP- 74—77 2, 1 f. ( = my figs. 503, 504) and 3 ( = my fig. 505).
6 S. Lysons Reliquice Britannico-Romantz London 1813 i. 3. 1 ff. pi. 5—summarised
by C. W. Bingham in The Archaeological Journal 1859 xv^ I§6 f., ib. 1865 xxii. 345.
See further A. H. Lyell A bibliographical list descriptive of Romano-British architectural
Remains in Great Britain Cambridge 1912 p. 19, and, for the accompanying inscriptions,
E. Hiibner in the Corp. insdr. Lat. vii no. 2.