The Bishop of Caesarea then goes on to relate that Constantine selected
fifty men of his bodyguard, the most distinguished for piety, valour,
and strength, whose sole duty it was to defend this famous standard;
and that, of the elect fifty, those who fled were always slain, and
those who stood their ground were always miraculously preserved.[40]

One would imagine from all this that there was only one labarum. Many
different kinds are, however, represented upon the coins of
Constantine; as also almost every variety of ordinary cross, except,
perhaps, such as might conceivably have been a representation of an
instrument of execution, like that which has since come into vogue
among us.

Eusebius also tells us that Constantine caused to be erected in front
of his palace a lofty tablet, on which was painted a representation of
himself with the "salutary sign" over his head and a dragon or serpent
under his feet.[41]

He also informs us that inside the palace and in the principal
apartment, on a vast tablet in the ceiling, Constantine caused "the
symbol of our Saviour's passion to be fixed, composed of a variety of
precious stones inwrought with gold."[42]

Which of all the "salutary" signs that appear upon the coins of
Constantine these particular crosses were, we do not know; but it is,
at any rate, obviously unlikely that a worshipper of Apollo who refused
to enter the Christian Church till he was dying, and on his coins
always attributed his victories to the Sun-God, elevated either as a
representation of an instrument of execution.