Theodosius I, Last Ruler of a United Rome

These Roman bronze coins, called maiorinas by modern numismatists, were minted under Theodosius I, also known as Theodosius the Great. He was the last emperor to rule over a united Roman Empire before its final division into East and West.

Though Theodosius I was the last to rule Rome in its entirety, it had already been split and reunited multiple times in the past. The sprawling empire had become hard to defend and govern from any one city, as it stretched from the British Isles to the Middle East.

In 395 CE, following Theodosius' death, Rome once again separated into two distinct entities: the Western Roman Empire, governed from the city of Rome, and the Eastern Roman Empire, with Constantinople as its capital. His sons Honorius and Arcadius would inherit the Western and Eastern Roman Empires, respectively.

Despite the empire fracturing after his rule, Theodosius still earned the epithet "the Great." This was due to his his significant impact on Rome's religious landscape, as a staunch supporter of Nicene Christianity. He made it the state religion, while suppressing pagan and other Christian practices, and shaped the religious identity of Europe for centuries.

Though larger bronze coins from this era are often called maiorinas in modern times, it's not known what the original ancient Roman name for these coins would have been. Each coin is about 20mm in diameter and features the portrait of the emperor on the obverse.

Each coin comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.