Constantia
Augusta  AD 313 - 324

Flavia Julia Constantia (ca. AD 295 - 330):
Wife of Licinius I;
Mother of Licinius II;
Daughter of Constantius I Chlorus and Theodora;
Half-sister of Constantine the Great;
Step-daughter of Helena;
Aunt of Delmatius, Hanniballianus, Constantius Gallus, Julian II.

Flavia Julia Constantia was the daughter of Constantius (Chlorus) I and his wife Theodora. The date of her birth is not known. She might have been born at the very earliest in 293-294, most probably in Trier, her father's principal residence during the years 293-306. Late in 311 or early in 312 Constantine I, Constantia's half-brother, betrothed her to his fellow-emperor Licinius. She was then eighteen years old at most. But the relationship between the two emperors was a strained one, and open hostilities, erupted in 316. Constantia remained at her husband's side. In about July of 315 she bore him a son named Valerius Licinianus or Licinius the Younger. As a second war between the imperial rivals took place in 324, Licinius was defeated twice, on July 3 at Adrianople and on September 18 at Chrysopolis, and surrendered to Constantine. Constantia interceded with her half- brother for the life of her husband, Licinius's life was spared. A couple of months later he was executed though and his son Licinius the Younger lost his life as well. Constantia, however, occupied a position of honor and influence at thecourt and held the rank of nobilissima femina. She died ca. 330, before reaching the age of forty. We do not know when, where, or how Constantia first embraced Christianity. We do know that she was a defender of the doctrine of Arius, for she attended the Council of Nicaea, where she counseled the representatives of the Arian party.

Mints: Constantinopolis

List all Constantia coins in the Catalog.

« back