Constantine I ‘the Great’
Arelate, 319 CE
BI Nummus 3.22g, 17mm, 6h
IMP CONSTANTINVS AVG, helmeted, laureate and cuirassed bust to right /
VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP, two Victories holding shield inscribed VOT PR in two lines over altar; SARL in exergue.
RIC VII 191
Arelate is the modern-day city of Arles, France. Its foundation is uncertain, but as early as the 1st century BCE the name is attested. The earliest evidence of habitation dates from 800 BCE and by the 6th century BCE Greek merchants were active in the area. Archeological digs have revealed the presence of a Greek Ikea, meaning there was a trade for Greek furniture at the time.
The name “Arelate” means “town by the marsh”, so presumably there were marshes, and probably also Malaria. The city grew when it correctly guessed the answer of Julius Caesar vs Pompey, and the victorious Caesar stripped Pompey’s ally Massalia of many of its possessions and transferred them to Arelate.
The city contained the southern-most bridge of the Rhone, which was constructed of pontoon boats. This allowed the bridge to withstand or be easily reconstructed following seasonal floods.
Today, many Roman ruins remain in Arles, and the city is a major tourist attraction.
Arelate taken by Rome
Canal built from Arelate to the Mediterranean
Constantine III makes Arelate his capital