Upon a somewhat similar coin the altar is ornamented with the star-like object which in days of old so often stood for the radiate sun.
A coin with the inscription Divo Constantino, and on the reverse the legend Aeterna Pietas and a representation of Constantine holding a round object surmounted by the symbol
, though usually included in the coins of that Emperor was evidently struck after his death and deification.
The same remark applies to a somewhat similar coin, which has an additional symbol in a plain cross in the field to the right of the Emperor-God.
It should be noted that the question here arises as to how far it is fair of us to claim this cross and so-called Monogram of Christ as
Christian and at the same time denounce as Pagan the deification of Constantine referred to upon the same coins.
As to the coins of Constantine the Great as a whole, it need only be remarked once more that while upon many of the pieces struck by him Constantine attributed his victories to the Sun-God, not upon a single one of them did he attribute them to the Christ; while it was ever the Sun-God and never the Christ whom he alluded to on his coins as his Companion, Partner, Guardian, or Saviour.
This being so, how can we honestly claim that the so-called Monogram of Christ, and other forms of the cross, were ever placed upon his coins by Constantine as symbols of the Christ, yet never as symbols of the Sun-God?