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Rome’s imperial families commonly relied on marriages for forging alliances and securing dynasties. A notable example involves Flavia Maximiana Theodora (~273 - pre-337 AD), daughter of Tetrarchal Western Augustus Maximian. Whether Theodora was Maximian’s biological offspring or stepdaughter is subject to debate. In any case, Maximian secured her place in history when he arranged her marriage to his new Tetrarchal Western Caesar, Flavius Julius Constantius, later and more commonly known as Constantius I.
Constantius was already married to a certain Helen. Whether the couple’s arrangement was legally binding or by common law accounting is the subject of (yet another) debate. No matter, Constantius, following in the tradition of Rome’s elite, accepted Maximian’s deal and dissolved ties with Helena and their son, Flavius Valerius Constantinus, later and more commonly known as Constantine I.
Ancient Romans likely viewed such a development as logical, although one can only imagine the emotions of the parties involved. Commonly, Roman men and women divorced their current spouse in the name of career and/or responsibility to the Empire. Regarding Theodora, she presumably rose to status of Caesarissa in 293 AD when her husband rose to Tetrarchal Western Caesar. The latter further ascended to Tetrarchal Western Augustus in 305 AD, and held the post until his death the following year. No lifetime coinage was struck in Theodora’s name, therefore her official title over this period (presumably Augusta) remains unverifiable.
It was not until 337 AD, more than three decades after Constantius’ death and an unknown period of time after her own, when Theodora’s visage adorned a Roman coin. Circumstances regarding her posthumous numismatic appearance provide insight into the struggle amongst the Constantinian dynasts, particularly those descended from Helena (namely, the sons of Constantine) vs. those descended from Theodora (she bore Constantius three sons and three daughters). That same year, Rome grieved over the death of Augustus Constantine, who by that time had appointed no fewer than four Caesars: his three sons, Constantine II, Constantius II, and Constans, in addition to nephew Delmatius, Theodora’s grandson. Numismatic data suggest the elder Constantine promoted his two older sons (Constantine II and Constantius II) as more senior among his Caesars, perhaps signaling a Tetrarchy to lead his subjects into the future. Instead, Rome’s emotions turned from sorrow to shock when a bloody pogrom decimated the Theodoran branch of the Constantinians. Within a short period, the tally of murder victims included not only Caesar Delmatius, but also his father, his uncle, multiple cousins – virtually all males of age who descended from Theodora. History largely attributes these atrocities to the machinations of Constantius II.
Theodora’s coinage surfaced in only three of the Empire’s many mint cities, namely Trier, Rome, and Constantinople. Not coincidentally, these three metropolises were the primary residences of Constantine II, Constans, and Constantius II. Based on numismatic evidence, it is hypothesized that Constantius II introduced Theodora’s coins in 337 AD before the death of Delmatius. All Theodora’s coins, including the current example from Trier, bear similar obverse and reverse designs. The obverse depicts the laureate and draped bust of Theodora along with the epithet FL MAX THEODORAE AVG. On the reverse stands Theodora again, this time personified as Pietas with an infant hugging her breast, accompanied by the inscription PIETAS ROMANA. Pietas represented the Roman virtue of devotion and duty, for example to family, the state, and/or the gods. This depiction was clearly meant to convey Pietas’ familial aspect.
According to the theory these coins appeared prior to the great purge, Constantine II was advertising acknowledgment of Theodora’s descendents, even if he refused to actually share power with his cousin. Supporting this view, among Constantine’s sons, only Constantine II’s lineage intertwined with Theodora’s (it is even speculated that Constantine II married one of her granddaughters). Following this line of reasoning, perhaps the proclamation PIETAS ROMANA specifically intended to reassure that no harm would come to Theodora’s descendents.
Alas, Constantius II had different designs, evidenced by the murder of Delmatius and other of Theodora’s kin. Even so, Constantine II continued striking Theodora’s coinage, and his two brothers soon followed suit (although the majority of issues originated in Trier rather than Rome or Constantinople). The three brothers, now co-Augusti per an uneasy power-sharing scheme, likely wanted to avoid any public admission of guilt or appearance of dishonoring the Roman value of piety. Therefore, production of coins honoring Theodora carried on, at least until Constantine II was killed by Constans' troops in 340 AD. Thereafter, Theodora’s numismatic revival came to an abrupt end.
Additional Reading: “Numismatic Evidence and the Succession to Constantine I,” D. Woods, Numismatic Chronicle, 171:187-196 (2011).
Coin Details: ROMAN EMPIRE, Theodora, Died before AD 337, Æ (14mm, 1.34 g, 11h), Treveri (Trier) mint, 2nd officina, Struck circa AD 337-340, NGC Grade: AU, Strike: 3/5, Surface: 5/5, Obverse: Laureate and draped bust right, FL MAX THEO-DORAE AVG, Reverse: Pietas standing right, holding child, PIETAS ROMANA, •TRS• in exergue, References: RIC VIII 65; LRBC 113.