Saint Helena (Follis-Helena-trier_RIC_465)
Constantius
Old King Cole Was a merry old soul And a merry old soul was he. He called for his pipe And he called for his bowl And he called for His fiddlers three.
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Saint Helena (Follis-Helena-trier_RIC_465) |
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Constantius |
Caer-Colun is Colchester (Camulodunum). Most historians tend to see Colchester as a back formation from the River-Colne. However, it surely comes from Caer-Colonia. It is generally supposed to have been the centre of some kind of British Kingdom, since early Anglian finds from North-East Essex are comparatively rare. Some late Roman houses in Stockwell Street may have continued in use into the Dark Ages, whilst the find of an elaborate Germanic buckle may indicate the employment of foreign mercenaries to defend the town. Camulodunum is almost certainly the origin of the name of King Arthur's court of Camelot, though he certainly never lived here.
In The Fairie Queen, the English poet, Edmund Spenser (1552-1599), in Book II x 59,5, wrote: Fayre Helena, the fairest living wight, Who in all Godly themes and goodly praise, Did far excell, but was most famous hight For skill musicke of all in her daies, As well in curious instruments as cunninge laies.Years later, Diocletian and his associate Maximius were rulers of the Roman Empire. Maximus offered Constantius an opportunity through which he might reap great power. But, to do this, Constantius would need to marry another woman, Theodora, the step-daughter of Maximius. Helena, the wife of Constantius, urged him to accept, hoping that through this, their son, Constantine, might one day, also become powerful. Constantius finally agreed and wise Helena sadly went to live in a convent.
In 1630, in his rhymed list of Kings of England, John Taylor wrote:
Coil king # 301
Colchester's Duke Coil in the Throne invested,
Was by Constantius Caesar much molested:
Till Coil gave's Daughter to him for his Bride,
And paid Romes tribute, that was long denide.
The Lady was of beauty most divine,
Faire Hellen, Mother to great Constantine,
The King at Colchester, dead, laide in's Tombe,
His sonne Constantius did supply his roome.
Constantius king # 305
Spaine, Italy, France, Britaines Emperor, (power,
Foure yeeres he raign'd heere, with Majesticke
True Honour was the ayme at which he shot),
Just, Valiant, these reports his Actions got.
Constantine king # 306
Great emp'ror Constantine, surnam'd the Great:
In all respects a worthy Prince compleate,
The glorious Gospell, he ador'd and fear'd,
Constantinople famously he rear'd,
Maxentius, Romes great Tyrant, (most abhor'd)
He made him flie from his Imperiall sword.
Belov'd, bewail'd, high honor'd and admir'd
In grace with God and men, his dayes expir'd.
In his History of Essex, Vol. I. p.32, Wright says: Cole was a noble mon, and gret power hadde on honde, Erle he was of Colchester here in this londe, And Colchestre after his name is clepud this is understoodIn Source 5, Geoffrey of Monmouth listed:
"Coel as a King of the Britons following the reign of King Asclepiodotus".and wrote:
In the Historia, Coel grows upset with Asclepiodotus's handling of the Diocletianic Persecution and begins a rebellion in his duchy of Caer Colun (Colchester). He meets Asclepiodotus in battle and kills him, thus taking the kingship of Britain upon himself. Rome, apparently, is pleased that Britain has a new king, and sends senator Constantius Chlorus to negotiate with him. Afraid of the Romans, Coel meets Constantius and agrees to pay tribute and submit to Roman laws as long as he is allowed to retain the kingship. Constantius agrees to these terms, but Coel dies one month later. Constantius marries Coel's daughter, Helena, and crowns himself as Coel's successor. Helena subsequently gives birth to a son who becomes the Emperor Constantine the Great, giving a British pedigree to the Roman imperial line.In the 4th century AD, during the reign of Constantine, his mother, Princess Helena, went on a crusade to Israel. She built many churches, including a church over the famous stable (of Christ's manger) in Bethlehem. It is also believed that she discovered the Cross of Jesus. For this reason, she is known to many as "Saint Helen of the Cross", the mother of Constantine the Great. Some fictional accounts of Helena imply that she was the daughter of Old King Cole, aka Cunobelin or Cymbeline. See Source 20 for an image of a coin made for and containing a head of Cunobelin. The above story is anachronistic, because Wikipedia: Constantine The Great (Source 11) says that Constantine the Great married Fausta, the daughter of Maximian (c250 - c310), not the daughter of Claudius ( 10 BC - 54 AD). The gold solidus coin (shown below), introduced by Constantine the Great, remained in use for around 700 years.
" It is evident that Jebel Serbal dates only from the early days of Coptic Christianity ; that Jebel Musa, its Greek rival, rose after the visions of Helena in the fourth century ; whilst the building of the Convent by Justinian belongs to A.D. 527.All of the above stories are somewhat fanciful and many elements are not supported by historic facts.
"It is suggested that people's responses regarding stigma are similarly motivated by the need for self-affirmation, but at the level of social identity. Being a member of a stigmatized group may not reduce self-esteem because, as with personal self-esteem, various strategies may be employed in order to protect a threatened collective self-image".Might this explain great Constantine's fanatic imposition of his Christian stigma on his Empire?