Among his efforts was the minting of this special coin dedicated to Sol. The "ratiate" crown worn by many emperors on their coins' portraits during the 3rd century AD is thought by some historians as alluding to the evolving solar connection to the emperor’s power.Ĭonstantine in the early 4th century advanced the pagan cult of Sol Invictus to the height of its popularity.
Like earlier solar deities, Sol's tasks included steering the sun-chariot across the sky each day, a reminder that this cult was a blending of monotheism and earlier paganism.īy promoting the cult and the consolidation of divine power into Sol, Roman emperors were able to please the military and also enhance their own power by identifying Sol as the source of imperial legitimacy in some cases the emperors were able to promote themselves as the personification of Solon earth. The early Roman Emperors promoted the rising cult of Sol Invictus with the addition of numerous new temples, statues, rites and festivals created in Sol's name. As time passed, Sol eventually took on the combined attributes of Apollo, Helios and Mithra. The early Romans initially adopted the earlier Greek Hellenistic religion that incorporated the worship of many deities, including Apollo and Helios—the sun god, who was known to the Romans as Sol. Mithra was a Christ-like, solar deity who was the sole representative of a single, all-powerful God—a new idea for the Romans. The origins of the cult in the late 1st century BCE can be traced to the appeal of Mithraism among the military—the result of Roman army's exposure to Persian culture during campaigns in the East.
This cult was a key factor in the rapid rise of Christianity in the late Roman Empire. Unlike many ancient religions based on solar worship, the Roman solar cult of Sol Invictus (Latin: the unconquered sun god) was characterized by the core belief in a single, supreme god and his representative, Sol. It was common for ancient religious beliefs to evolve and merge over time among interconnected cultures. A small quantity of these unique Roman bronze coins survived the passage of 17 centuries. This bronze coin showing Sol, the sun god, was minted in small quantities between 313 and 326 AD by Saint Constantine (307-337 CE), the Great—the Roman Emperor known as the "Thirteenth Apostle" in the East. CONSTANTINE'S SUN GOD COIN: CHRISTIANITY AND THE CULT OF SOL INVICTUS
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