BEATA TRANQVILLITAS from Trier and the parazonium

[Victor]

On many BEATA coins from Trier, Constantine II is depicted holding a parazonium, which is a dagger with an eagle's head for the pommel cap. It has been correctly described for many years, but it continues to also be incorrectly described.

I thought it would be interesting to look at some literature and see how the object is described -- listed below chronologically.


2014 Roman Coins and Their Values by David Sear calls it a mappa.

2004 -- Die römische Münzserie Beata Tranquillitas in der Prägestätte Trier 321-323.  by Alten and  Zschucke call it a Kurzschwert (Lat.: Parazonium). 

1982 Le Monnayage de L'Atelier de Lyon: De La Reouverture de L'Atelier en 318 a la Mort de Constantin (318- 337).  by Pierre Bastien calls it a parazonium.

1982 Roman Imperial Coins in the Hunter Coin Cabinet describes it as a mappa.

1967 Roman Imperial Coinage VII describes it as a mappa.

1961 Die Spätrömische Kupferprägung: Ein Bestimmungsbuch Für Schlecht Erhaltene Münzen by Guido Bruck. This book is mostly line drawing and it shows a parazonium with a clear depiction of the eagle-headed pommel cap. 



1908 Numismatique Constantinienne by Maurice describes it as a mappa.