She Wolf and Roma Nummus Pendant

Description:

This coin was minted during the reign of Constantine the Great in the historic city of Constantinople, which is present-day Istanbul in the northwest region of Turkey. Constantine became the Western Roman Emperor in 306 and ruler of the entire Roman Empire after defeating the Emperor Licinius in the east in 324. Son of St. Helena, Constantine is known as the first Christian Roman Emperor and in 313, he announced toleration of Christianity in the Edict of Milan. Constantine also transformed the ancient Greek colony of Byzantium into the new Eastern Roman capital city of Constantinople.
The obverse side of this ancient coin depicts the twin brothers Romulus and Remus, suckling on a she-wolf with two stars above. In Rome's foundation myth, the child twins were abandoned and then saved by a she-wolf that found and suckled them. Romulus and Remus survived and eventually founded the city of Rome. The image of the she-wolf suckling the twins became an iconic representation of the city and its founding legend.
The reverse side of this coin shows the head of Roma wearing an imperial cloak and a decorated helmet. The Latin legend URBS ROMA, translates to “City of Rome.” In traditional Roman religion, Roma was a female deity who personified the city of Rome and more broadly, the glory that was the Roman Empire.