Roman Imperial. Constantius II (337 – 360) AE Maiorina (5.97g, 24.5mm, 12h). Rome, under Nepotian (possibly Magnentius), 350.
Obverse: D N CONSTANTIVS P F AVG / A to left. Draped and cuirassed bust of Constantius to right, wearing laurel rosette diadem and holding globe in right hand.
Reverse: GLORIA ROMANORVM / * in upper right field / R B in exergue. Constantius on horseback to right, his horse galloping right over a shield and broken spear, spearing kneeling barbarian enemy wearing a Phrygian helmet with outstretched arms.
Reference: RIC VIII Rome 198 (under Nepotian) or 204 (Magnentius).
Provenance: Ex-Antonio Hinojosa Pareja (Lucernae Numismática, Alcalá la Real, Spain), purchased c. 2009-2014.
Notes: An interesting complement to the imagery of the contemporary FEL TEMP REPARATIO fallen horseman type (in which the horseman is being defeated). As Victor Clark points out, the types struck in Constantius II’s name under Magnentius and Nepotian are nearly indistinguishable, differing only slightly in size (the Nepotian being 23-25mm, Magnentius 22-24mm, per RIC VIII). Since the dies are a bit crampt on a flan over 24mm, I suspect this example is one of Nepotian’s (the slightly larger of the two), but that’s speculative.