Sale: Nomos 5, Lot: 226. Estimate CHF3000.  Closing Date: Monday, 24 October 2011.  Sold For CHF4600. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Mark Antony. Denarius (Silver, 3.67 g 1), Antioch, or moving with Canidius Crassus in Armenia, autumn 37 BC. ANTONIVS.AVGVR.COS.DES.ITER.ET.TERT Bare head of Antony to right. Rev. IMP.TERTIO.III.VIR.R.P.C. Arnenian tiara to right, over crossed bow and arrow. Crawford 539/1. CRI 297. Sydenham 1205. Very rare. . Traces of corrosion and a very small flan crack, otherwise, good very fine.

This celebrates one of the initial successes of Antony’s ultimately disastrous Parthian campaign. This involved the invasion of Armenia in order to compel its king Artavasdes II to join the Roman alliance. He dithered and in the end was taken hostage. The Parthian campaign ended in disaster; Artavasdes was imprisoned and ultimately executed by Cleopatra after Actium.