Ruler: | Mark Antony and Octavia |
Held Office: | born 83 BC - died 30 BC (married Octavia 40 BC) |
Denomination: | AR Cistophorus |
Mint: | Ephesus |
Date of Issue: | 39 BC |
Obverse: | Head of Antony right, wearing ivy wreath; lituus below; all within wreath of ivy and flowers; "M. ANTONIVS IMP. COS. DESIG. ITER. ET TERT." around. |
Reverse: | Draped bust of Octavia right above cista mystica, flanked by interlaced serpents with heads erect; "III VIR" on left, "RPC" on right. |
Reference: | HCRI 262; Sydenham 1197; RSC 2; RPC I 2201 |
Weight: | 10.4 gms |
Diameter: | 25.0 mm |
Comment: |
This remarkable issue of silver cistophori from Asia (this coin and HCRI 263), the first for about a decade, commemorates the marriage of Antony and Octavia and celebrates the Triumvir's divine status as the 'New Dionysus', an honour which had been bestowed on him at the time of his arrival in Ephesus in 41 BC. The cistophorus had been the traditional monetary denomination of the Pergamene kingdom since the early part of the 2nd century BC and when the Romans acquired the territory on the death of Attalus III in 133 BC they continued production of the cistophorus to serve the needs of the newly constituted provincia Asia. In weight it was the equivalent of three Roman denarii. a relationship which had doubtless been intended from the inception of the coinage because of Rome's special relationship with the later Pergamene kings. Antony's titulature of 'imperator and consul designate for the second and third times' fixes the period of issue to the latter part of 39 BC, after the Pact of Misenum in July (when the consular designations were agreed for the next eight years) and before Antony's second imperatorial acclamation which probably took place in the winter of 39-38 BC. Although Octavia is not named on either type there can be no doubt over the identification of her portrait given the firm chronology of the issue. From 'History and Coinage of the Roman Imperators 49-27 BC' by David R Sear. |
MARK ANTONY (Marcus Antonius)
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R07010