Helena coins Roman Imperial catalog
Empress Helena (?-329), mother of Constantine I
Helena was born around 250 AD in the
province of Bithynia. In her youth she either owned a tavern or
(more likely) was a servant in it. Probably it was there that
she was seen by Constantius Chlorus, who was then an officer of
high rank. It was hardly about marriage, most likely Elena was
just his mistress. However, officers enjoyed the privilege of
declaring their illegitimate children legitimate, so their son
Constantine, born a little later than 280, enjoyed all the
rights of Constantius' heir.
Constantius, by order of Diocletian, married Theodora, the
stepdaughter of Maximian, whose co-emperor he became in 293, and
until his death in 306 shared power with him in the Western part
of the empire. Constantine proclaimed himself emperor after the
death of his father and gradually became sole ruler of the whole
empire in 324.
To mother he treated with sincere honor and always emphasized
it. The reason for it was most likely that they together bore
humiliations when at Constantius was Theodora and her children.
Constantine gave his mother vast estates, she could use the
money freely. In 325 he conferred on her the title of Augusta.
At this time Helena had already converted to Christianity and
was zealously engaged in religious affairs.
When Constantine executed his son Crispus at the instigation of
his wife Fausta, Helena, who loved her eldest grandson very
much, in turn accused Fausta of adultery. Constantine believed
and killed his wife too.
Elena was one of the first empresses who made a pilgrimage to
the Holy Land. With this journey is connected a huge number of
legends (most often not confirmed by anything) up to the fact
that she personally found the tree of the Holy Cross.
Having returned from the journey Elena died about 330 AD at the
age of about eighty years.
FL HELENA AVGVSTA
SECVRITAS REIPVBLICE
325-326
copper
Nicomedia
18 mm.
Draped bust in the diadem right / Flavia Helena Augusta
Securitas standing left, holds wreath / Security of Republic
Value - $80-120
Coins of Helena in the catalog are presented divided by historical periods, indicating the main characteristics and differences by type.
Inside the sections, the coins are sorted by denomination - from large to small.
The cost of the coin is approximate and is indicated specifically for the coin shown in the picture. You can use this price to evaluate similar coins (of the same type), but remember that the value is affected by many factors, such as the state of preservation. For coins of the Roman Empire, the place of minting (the mint) may be important. The cost of coins of the same type can vary greatly depending on the number of surviving copies.
Coins of Helena presented on this page are not for sale or purchase - this is only a catalogue.
See other coins of Imperial Rome.