Constantinopolis City Commemorative AE Nummus, Antioch, AD 330–335

Struck at Antioch under Constantine I, this city commemorative belongs to the coinage issued after the dedication of Constantinople in AD 330. The obverse does not show Constantine himself, but Constantinopolis — the personification of the new capital — helmeted, mantled, and holding a reversed spear.

The reverse shows Victory standing on the prow of a ship, holding a spear and shield. It is a compact image of triumph, naval power, and imperial confidence. Rather than celebrating one emperor’s portrait, the coin helped present Constantinople as Rome’s new imperial center, using the familiar Roman language of personifications, Victory, and military order.