Rom-Br-Postclaudius-Sml Roman Empire, Constantine I, Issue Struck (C.317 Ce) In Honor Of The Divine Claudius Ii (Died 270 Ce), Half Follis(C)

Constantine the Great was the first Christian emperor of the Roman Empire and is acknowledged as being isapostolos (equal-to-the-apostles) in the Eastern Orthodox church. His Edict of Milan in 313 CE stopped the persecution of Christians and paved the way for Christianity to ultimately become the official religion of the empire. In this issue, struck at a time of civil war, Constantine is associating himself with his alleged ancestor Claudius II, who remained a popular emperor half a century after his death. He is hoping that this, probably fictional pedigree, will bolster his position against his rivals