Crispus

Crispus Flavius Julius , oldest son of the Emperor Constantin and Minervina. One knows nothing about this first union, nor about his end, except that it had on place before 307, date of the official marriage of Constantin with Fausta, girl of Maximien Hercules. One is unaware of also the birth date of Crispus.

Constantin does it César in 317, at the same time as his brother Constantin the young person, with Serdica (currently Sofia). Crispus was Consul by three times, into 318,321 and 324. He marries one named Helene, who gives him a child into 322.

Responsible for the defense of the border of the Rhine, it beats the Francs in 320 and the Alamans in 324. It gains in 323, in the Hellespont, a naval victory over Licinius and thus contributes to the victory of his father.

In 326, it is carried out on the order of his Constantin father, with Pola in Istrie (currently Pula in Croatia). The same year, his/her mother-in-law Fausta is in her turn carried out, always on order of Constantin. The fate reserved for the wife of Crispus and her children is unknown.

The motivation of these murders is historically dubious. The contemporary Latin historians of Constantin are quiet. According to the Byzantine historian Zosime (Life century) taken again by Jean Zonaras (XIIe century), Crispus was shown by his/her mother-in-law to have wanted to allure it, caused the anger of Constantin. Discovering the falseness of the charge, Constantin would have then made carry out Fausta. The frank historian Gregoire de Tours (Life century) evokes as for him a plot of Crispus against Constantin. It also should be stressed that Crispus, following the example Fausta, had remained pagan, which could created an enmity between him and Constantin.

Its currencies shows it like a young man, with the title of very noble César (NOB CAESAR) and on certain reverses the title of Prince of youth (PRINCIPI IVVENTVTI). Other monetary reverses celebrate its victories over Alamans, or of the dedications with Jupiter, Mars or Sol Invictus and personified virtues.

Sources

Henry Cohen, historical Description of the currencies struck under the Empire Romain , Paris, 1892

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