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The Triumvirs. Mark Antony. Autumn 32-spring 31 BC. AR Denarius (17mm, 3.51 g, 6h). Legionary type. Patrae(?) mint. Praetorian galley right; ANT • AVG above, III VIR • R • P • C below / Aquila between two signa; LEG II across lower field. Crawford 544/14; CRI 349; Sydenham 1216; RSC 27; BMCRR East 190; Kestner 3842-3; RBW 1838. Lightly toned, reverse slightly off center. EF.
From the S & S Collection.
After Mark Antony left his wife Octavia in Greece to resume his liaison with Cleopatra VII of Egypt in 36 BC, full-scale war for control of the Roman world became inevitable between Antony and Octavian, his fellow triumvir and brother of Octavia. A propaganda campaign began as both sides started marshaling forces and producing the money needed to pay the vastly expanded armies. However, their resources were unequal, with Antony possessing the wealthy eastern provinces and Egypt, while Octavian controlled the relatively impoverished west. Consequently, silver and gold coins struck in Antony’s name greatly outnumbered those of Octavian even before the legionary series commenced. Antony’s coinage of 34 BC, struck after the infamous Donations of Alexandria, stressed his partnership with Cleopatra, but this provided fodder for Octavian’s propagandists, who claimed Antony had become the queen’s slave and had ceased being a Roman. In 32 BC, Octavian forced Antony’s supporters out of the Senate and obtained a declaration of war against Egypt. Antony anticipated this action and had already begun moving his legions to Greece, with the intention of staging up for an invasion of Italy. It was there, probably at Antony’s winter quarters in Patrae, that the legionary denarius entered production in the fall of 32 BC, naming the individual units making up his formidable force. Unusually for the era, the coins eschew any portraiture and instead celebrate both the land and naval components of Antony’s military force, with the obverse depicting a war galley under oar, and the reverse depicting a legionary eagle (aquila) flanked by two cohort standards (signa). Antony is identified as the issuer by name and his titles, ANT AVG III VIR R.P.C, abbreviating Antonii auguris, tresviri rei publicae constituendae (”Antony, Augur and Triumvir for the Organizing of the Republic”). The reverses name 22 legions (Legiones II - XXIII); all examples naming a “first legion” (LEG PRI) seem to be forgeries of later eras. Three legions, specifically raised by Antony, receive special names along with their numerals, LEG XII ANTIQVAE (“venerable”), LEG XVII CLASSICAE (“of the fleet”), and LEG XVIII LYBICAE (“Lybian”); coins with the same legionary numeral but no epithet were also struck, making it unclear whether these are the same or different units. Several legionary numerals are also rendered in different forms (i.e. IV and IIII, IX and VIIII, XIX and XVIIII). Thus the actual varieties far outnumber the legions represented. Two specialized units also receive coins: The Praetorian Cohorts, Antony’s personal guard, and the Speculatores, or scouts, with the latter signified by specially decorated naval standards. Antony’s total forces numbered perhaps 200,000, so as many as 30 million legionary denarii were struck to pay them. Tests have shown the silver alloy employed was about 92% pure, slightly more base than that used by the Rome mint (96%). Oddly enough, this ensured that Antony’s legionary denarii remained in circulation for centuries after his defeat at the naval battle of Actium, as the government made no special effort to recall and remint them in the Imperial period, as was frequently done with coins of purer silver. Hoards in the late third century AD still contain significant numbers of heavily worn legionary denarii, a testament to Gresham’s Law (”bad money drives out good”).
The final winners of all Triton XXVI lots will be determined at the live public sale that will be held on 10-11 January 2023.
Triton XXVI – Session Two – Lot 335-673 will be held Tuesday afternoon, 10 January 2023 beginning at 2:00 PM ET.
Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.
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