Marc Antony Legionary Denarius: How do we know?

[Anonymous]

What evidence do we have that this coin series was issued by Marc Antony shortly before the battle of actium in 31 bc? How do we know it wasn't issued by a different General or at different time? Thanks! <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=qulpiusotho>Q Ulpius Otho</A> at: 4/12/04 3:55 am<br></i>

[FlaviusCrispus]

Ave, Otho!<br>
<br>
The Antony legionary denarii are dated in a number of ways-- hoard evidence (i.e. finding issues in conjunction with other coins that indicate a sequence of issues and a "no later than" burial date), find spots, metallurgy, and general typology. The fact that they honor a long sequence of legions indicates they were struck to pay a large army assembled in one place, and the planned invasion of Italy, to be launched from Actium, provides the most logical occassion for issue. Find spots point to a military mint in western Greece (although they continue to turn up in Roman denarius hoards for more than a hundred years after the date of issue). They are also of slightly base metal, indicating they were struck under the kind of financial stringencies that Antony faced toward the period 32-31 BC. They fit in at the end of a long sequence of issues by Antony, and seem to be among the last coins he struck. You can find all of the evidence laid out in David R. Sear's book "History and Coimage of the Roman Imperators." The book is available via this link:<br>
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www.freemanandsear.com/bo...prodid=188<br>
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You can probably also find a copy at a university library.<br>
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Hope this helps!<br>
<br>
T. Flavius Crispus<br>
Legio VI Victrix Pia Fidelis<br>
California, USA<br>
<br>
aka Dave Michaels<br>
Freeman & Sear <p></p><i></i>

[FlaviusCrispus]

By the way...<br>
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Here's a nifty web page with lots of info about Antony and his legions, and the sheer number of coins that needed to be struck to pay them...<br>
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www.ancient-times.com/new...1/n11.html<br>
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T. Flavius Crispus<br>
<p></p><i></i>

[Nathan Ross]

A while ago there was a site on the net with a good discussion page about Antony's legion denarii, which seems to have disappeared - I can't find it anyway. This page, as I recall, claimed that the first of the legion series carried the title 'Legio Primus' rather than 'Legio I'. This seemed strange - should it not be 'Prima Legio' if the intended meaning was just 'first legion'? It occurred to me that the the 'Primus' might be something of a title in itself - 'first' in the sense of 'best' or 'first to be raised' or something. Is this at all possible, or was it just that the single numeral 'I' might not be prominent enough?<br>
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I don't think there's much chance of the coin series relating to other campaigns than Actium - Antony built up his legions steadily after Philippi, and again after the Parthian campaign - pre-Actium, the number would have been greatest, albeit some of the legions being not of the best quality! <p></p><i></i>

[Vincula]

Quote:</em></strong><hr>How do we know it wasn't issued by a different General ?<hr><br>
There's the minor matter of the inscription ANT AVG on all the coins! (It means "Antonius Augur")<br>
Quote:</em></strong><hr>or at a different time?<hr><br>
All the coins depict a galley on the front, which just has to indicate Actium! <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

In the last few years there have been piles of them turning up in the ancient coin market. The worn ones seem to be quite easy to find now as all the good condition ones havebeen snapped up. ancientcoin.ca has a l;ot of worn smooth examples cheap.<br>
<p>'but then, what do I know."</p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Oh yes, they worn ones are like $14. <p>'but then, what do I know."</p><i></i>