Mark Antony Legionary Issue Legion VII Rare AR Roman Imperatorial Denarius 32-31 BC Silver Coin The Triumvirs Museum Reproduction CSRD0040

Description

Issued before the Battle of Actium in 32 BC and likely minted at Antony’s winter headquarters in Patrae (Greece), it was silver denarii such as this that Mark Antony used to pay his legions and fleet. Seeking to associate himself with Julius Caesar, who had held the augurate, Antony too identified himself as augur; so one reads ANT AVG (abbreviating Antonius augurus); III VIR R P C abbreviates Triumvir rei publicae constituendae (“One of Three Men for the Restoration of the Republic”), which was adopted in 43 BC by Mark Antony, Octavian, and Lepidus when they formed the Second Triumvirate.

Twenty-three legions were honoured on Antony’s ‘legionary’ coinage, and of these, most are named strictly with Roman numerals. There are, however, special titled legions for which there were special issues: Legios XII Antiqvae, XVII Classicae, XVIII Lybicae, and the special units of the cohortes speculatorum (COHORTIS SPECVLATORVM) and the cohortes praetoriarum (CHORTIVM PRAETORIARVM).
The Legio VII Claudia, was first levied in 65 BC in Spain by Pompey the Great. From 58 BC, it served under Julius Caesar when he was engaged in his Gallic Wars (58-50 BC). During the course of these Gallic campaigns, Caesar also invaded Britain, and Legio VII was one of the two legions he took with him on his first British engagement in 55 BC.
DESIGN:
Obverse side
Praetorian galley to the right
Legend:
ANT AVG III VIR R P C

Reverse side
Legionary Aquila between two signa
Legend:
LEG VII

A perfect choice for Numismatists, Historians, Military Veterans, Collectors.