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Flavia Julia Helena, better known as Helena Augusta, was best known as the mother of Constantine the Great. She is also a canonized saint in both the Catholic and Orthodox churches for her role in spreading Christianity.
Helena and Constantine's father met when she was young and lived together for about 19 years. However, he left her to marry an emperor's daughter and raise his social status. Because of this status change, Constantine also climbed the social ranks, but he and his mother stayed close, and she remained the most influential woman in his life, even after he married. When Constantine became co-emperor in 306, he honored Helena with the title of nobilissima femina, and when he became sole emperor in 324, she was further honored with the title of Augusta. The title Augusta was the female form of the title held by emperors. An emperor could bestow the title on the women in their family, but only if they saw fit. This was not an automatic title, so it was an honor for Helena to have received it.
It is believed that Constantine converted Helena to Christianity; however, after her conversion, she worked zealously to spread her faith. She went on a pilgrimage to Palestine, constructed beautiful churches, and is even credited with finding the True Cross. Helena Augusta was clearly a woman deeply loved and respected by Constantine, as he had many coins minted in her honor. This coin was minted in 324 to mark her change in status upon being granted the Augusta title. This is one of the rarest varieties known as RIC 149. On the obverse is a beautiful portrait of Helena Augusta herself. She is wearing a diadem with her hair in an updo, and you can see her elaborate drapery and double necklace. The reverse features a standing image of Securitas, the Roman personification of security and wisdom.
When she appeared on coins, she was typically a symbol of peace and stability. She is veiled, holding a branch with one hand while raising her skirt with the other. This coin, being struck in gold, highlights Helena's high status and authority, an honor not always awarded to women related to the emperors of the time.
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Theodora was an empress in the Byzantine Empire who served as regent to her son, Michael III. She is recognized as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church for ending the second Byzantine iconoclasm. Interestingly, even though she was an iconophile, she was chosen to marry the emperor who was an iconoclast. After her husband died, she became regent, focused on religious importance, and restored many religious practices. Her late husband had appointed advisors to guide her in her role of power, but they often butted heads due to different ideals. Theodora never remarried after her husband died, so she maintained her authority until her son took the throne. Despite the fact that she had had a very successful reign, Michael III was wary of her power and upset that she wouldn't let him marry his mistress, so he had her deposed and banished to a convent.
Thedora assumed the role of regent alongside her eldest surviving daughter, Thecla. We know this is true because you often see the two of them together, standing over Michael III on the coinage of the time. Her mother secretly taught her to venerate religious icons because her father opposed the practice. She took on the role of co-empress alongside her mother when she became regent and was banished to the convent with her as well.
This gold solidus is a perfect example of Theodora and Thecla both being portrayed as leaders. On the obverse is a portrait of Theodora. She is wearing a crown adorned with pendilia, the strings of pearls and jewels hanging down from the crown, to signify her status and authority. She is also wearing the loros, a long, embroidered, jeweled scarf that was the most formal garment of Byzantine rulers. She is seen holding the cruciform scepter and globus surmounted by the patriarchal cross, which are important imperial Byzantine symbols of authority. On the reverse, Thecla is featured wearing the same. Next to her is a smaller Michael III, wearing a crown but no royal garments. This coin shows how powerful these women were during their reign.
Eudocia Makrembolitissa was a Byzantine empress twice during her life. Eudocia married Constantine X Doukas before he became emperor in 1059. When he ascended, she was given the title of Augusta. On his deathbed, her husband made her swear an oath that she would never remarry. When he died, she became regent for their sons. Technically, her son Michael VII was old enough to rule, but she assumed total control of the empire. She had a successful reign while also assuming the educational duties of her sons.
After a few months, she realized her position of power could be in jeopardy if she continued to reign alone, so she broke her oath and remarried. It was clear from the coinage of the time that she did not consider her second husband a ruler. He wasn't always called emperor, and he was often depicted as inferior to Eudocia and her sons. In 1071, her second husband betrayed the Byzantine army and was deposed. This led to Eudocia and her sons being named joint rulers. However, by this point, Eudocia had lost the trust of her people and was exiled to a monastery a month later.
This coin was struck in 1067, after Eudocia became empress for the first time. The obverse features a Byzantine iconographic depiction of Jesus, Christ Pantocrator. He is sitting on a throne holding a book of gospels. The reverse of this coin highlights Eudocia's power. She stands in the center of the coin, flanked by two of her sons, Michael VII and Constantius. She is wearing a crown and the traditional saccis and loros, holding an imperial scepter. She is standing on a stool to highlight her might and position of power, even over her sons.