Marc Antony and Octavia

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Valentinian, Feb 16, 2019.

  1. Valentinian

    Valentinian Well-Known Member

    The genealogy of the Julio-Claudian dynasty is complex. A good genealogical chart might be the best way to see the relationships, but the acquisition of this coin prompted me to focus on the descendants of Marc Antony and his wife Octavia. They were the direct ancestors of three emperors, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero.

    MarcAntonyOctavia1904.jpg
    Marc Antony and Octavia, struck summer-fall 39 BC, at Ephesus.
    25-24 mm. Silver cistophorus. 12.12 grams.
    (From 7:00) M ANTONIVS IMP COS DESIC ITER ET TERT
    Jugate busts of Marc Antony and Octavia.
    III VIR down left, P R C up right. Dionysos on cista mystica, interlaced snakes either side with heads upright. Antony was acclaimed the "New Dionysos" at Ephesus. [RPC I page 379.]

    The "second triumvirate" was an of alliance between Octavian, Marc Antony, and Lepidus, agreed to in 43 BC. Octavia, full sister of Octavian, married Marc Antony in 40 BC to help cement the alliance. The pact allotted future consulships years in advance, which explains how Antony could be designated consul for both the second and third times as the legend states. Octavia is not named, but Octavia was Antony's wife at the time the type was minted.

    Sear I 1513. Sear HCRI 263. RPC I 2202.

    RPC notes 139 coins from 103 obverse dies which indicates a very large issue. If the dies were identified and distinguished correctly (which is very hard to do), the point estimate of the original number of dies is about 400 and a 95% confidence interval is about 270 to 600 dies. If the number of coins per die averages 20,000 (far from precise, but an educated guess) the original number of coins of this type would have been between 5 and 12 million.

    Here is an attempt to understand the descendants of Antony and Octavia.

    ---------------

    Octavia was the full sister of Octavian (who became Augustus)

    She was the fourth wife of Marc Antony (d. 31 BC). He left Octavia for Cleopatra c. 35 BC and divorced Octavia in 32 BC.

    Marc Antony and Octavia had daughters Antonia Major and Antonia Minor.

    Three emperors were their direct descendants (generations separated by “-“):

    Octavia - Antonia Major - Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus - Nero
    Octavia - Antonia Minor - Claudius
    Octavia - Antonia Minor - Germanicus - Caligula

    Next are more details, but only those details relevant to their direct descendants:

    Octavia & Marc Antony
    - Antonia Major
    - Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus (married Agrippina Jr.)
    - Nero

    Livia, wife of Augustus, had two sons, Tiberius and Nero Claudius Drusus, from her previous husband.

    Marc Antony & Octavia
    - Antonia Minor (married Nero Claudius Drusus)
    - Claudius & Germanicus (married Agrippina Sr.)
    - Caligula & Agrippina Jr. (Claudius was therefore Caligula’s uncle.)

    Augustus (had a daughter, Julia, from his second wife, prior to marrying Livia)
    - Julia (married Agrippa)
    - Agrippina Sr. (married Germanicus)
    - Caligula & Agrippina Jr. (married Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and had Nero before she married Claudius)
    - Nero

    -----------------------------------

    Some coins have quite a story! Show a coin that fits somewhere in this story.
     
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  3. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    Excellent @Valentinian and one I would like in my collection some day. I guess I have a MA compulsion.
     
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  4. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    Very nice coin. I would love to have one too.

    Here are a few from that cast of characters.

    Claudius denarius
    CLAUD new.jpg

    Claudius and Nero
    claud nero new.jpg

    Caligula and Agrippina
    GAIUS new.jpg

    Caligula and Augustus
    Caligula RIC 2 new.jpg

    Caligula and Augustus

    Caligula RIC 16.jpg
    Nero
    Nero ric 35.jpg

    Nero and Claudius
    nero ric 621 small.jpeg
     
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  5. Cucumbor

    Cucumbor Well-Known Member

    Excellent story and coins

    Here are the two other lads of the 2nd triumvirate : Lepidus and Octavian

    [​IMG]


    And Livia

    [​IMG]


    And Antonia Minor

    [​IMG]

    Q
     
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  6. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    I have one of those. I bought it from Frank Robinson some years ago.

    Antony and Octavia cistophorus.jpg
    Antony and Octavia
    AR cistophorus, 25.6 mm, 11.71 gm
    Ephesus, 39 BCE
    Obv: M ANTONINVS IMP COS DESIG ITER ET TERT, Jugate heads of Marcus Antonius and Octavia to right; he wears ivy wreath
    Rev: III VIR RPC, Cista mystica surmounted by figure of Bacchus, standing to left, holding cantharus and leaning on thyrsus; on either side, coiled serpent
    Refs: SNG Cop. 408; SNG von Aulock 6555; Franke KZR 472; RSC 3; Sydenham 1198; RPC 2202; Sear 1513; BMCRR East 135-137.
     
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  7. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Nice cistophori - would love to have one in my collection.
     
  8. Jay GT4

    Jay GT4 Well-Known Member

    Excellent coin! I was trying to collect all of the descendants of Antony but it got very long and very complex. Here's a few...

    AntonyOctaviaTetra.jpg

    Antony & Octavia tetradrachm

    M ANTONIVS IMP COS DESIG ITER ET TERT
    Conjoined heads of Antony and Octavia right, Antony wearing an ivy wreath

    VIR RPC
    Dionysus standing left, holding cantharus and thyrsus on cista mystica flanked by two interlaced snakes

    Ephesus, summer-autumn 39 BC

    11.22g

    Imperators 263, RPC 2202, Babelon Antonia 61, Syndenham 1198, BMCRR east 135

    Punch mark on the obverse protrudes onto the reverse

    Ex-Numisantique

    This series of Cistophori from Asia commemorates the marriage of Antony and Octavia and celebrate's Antony's divine status in the east as the "New Dionysus" which was bestowed on him when he arrived in Ephesus in 41 BC. 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 and before Antony's second Imperatorial acclamation in the winter of 39-38BC

    Antony_Octavia.jpg
    Mark Antony & Octavia

    Silver Cistophorus

    M ANTONIVS IMP COS DESIG ITER ET TERT
    Head of Antony right, wreathed with ivy, lituus below, all within ivy wreath

    III VIR R P C
    Draped bust of Octavia right above cista mystica flanked by two snakes

    Ephesus, summer-autumn 39 BC
    10.42g

    Sear 1512, RPC 2201

    Ex-Incitatus

    Juba_II.jpg


    Juba II and Cleopatra Selene

    REX IVBA
    Diademed head right

    BACIΛICCA KΛEOΠATPA
    Star and crescent.

    25 B.C.-23 A.D
    17 mm, 2.62 gm

    MAA 85; SNG Copenhagen 590; Mazard 300.
    VF, toned
    Scarce

    Ex-ANE

    Juba II was the only son and heir of his father King Juba I. King Juba I was the King of Numidia and ally to Pompey the Great. He fought against Julius Caesar at the battle of Thapsus and lost commiting suicide soon after. His son Juba II was taken away to Rome to be paraded in Caesar's Triumph's. He was then raised in Caesar's houshold and educated in both Latin and Greek excelling in his studies. He was praised as one of Rome's most educated citizens and at age 20 even published a work entitled Roman Archaeology. He became life long friends with Julius Caesar's heir Octavian. He accompanied Octavian on several campaigns during the turbulent times after Caesar's death even fighting at the battle of Actium against his future wifes parents...Antony and Cleopatra VII.

    Augustus restored Juba II as the king of Numidia between 29 BC-27 BC and Numidia become one of the most loyal client kings that served Rome. Between 26 BC-20 BC, Augustus arranged for him to marry Cleopatra Selene II (daughter of Antony and Cleopatra) giving her a large dowry and appointing her queen. She also had been paraded in a Triumph in Rome after the battle of Actium. It was probably due to his services with Augustus in a campaign in Spain that led Augustus to make him King of Mauretania.

    Cleopatra is said to have exerted considerable influence on Juba II's policies. Juba II encouraged and supported the performing arts, research of the sciences and research of natural history. Juba II also supported Mauretanian trade. Mauretania traded all over the Mediterranean and exported fish grapes, pearls, figs, grain, wooden furniture and purple dye harvested from certain shellfish, which was used in the manufacture of purple stripes for senatorial robes. Juba II sent a contingent to Iles Purpuraires to re-establish the ancient Phoenician dye manufacturing process.

    Cleopatra Selene seems to have inherited the same qualities of both Antony and Cleopatra VII. She was strong willed and maintained her Egyptian/Greek heritage. She seems intent on continuing the Ptolomaic line of strong women rulers using the same titles as her mother. She died sometime before Juba II. The Greek Historian Plutarch describes Juba II as 'one of the most gifted rulers of his time'. Between 2 BC-2, he travelled with Gaius Caesar as a member of his advisory staff to the troubled Eastern Mediterranean. In 21, Juba II made his son Ptolemy co-ruler. Juba II died in 23 AD. He had two children by Cleopatra Selene, Ptolomy of Mauretania (1 BC- 40 AD) and Drusilla of Mauretania (born in 5 AD). He was burried in the Mausolium he constructed for himself and his wife which is still visible today.

    And perhaps my favorite descendant of Antony has to be this guy:

    Polemo II-Mark Antony's great grandson

    PolemoII.jpg

    BACΙΛΕΩC ΠΟΛΕΜΩΝΟC
    diademed head of Polemo right

    ETOYC - K (year 20)
    laureate head of Nero right;

    57 - 58 A.D.
    3.645g

    18.1mm, die axis 180o

    RPC I 3832, SNG Cop 242, BMC Pontus 7 - 8, SNG von Aulock 6691

    Ex-Forum

    Marcus Antonius Polemon Pythodoros, also known as Polemon II of Pontos and Polemon of Cilicia is the only known direct descendant of Mark Antony who bares his name. Through his maternal grandmother he was a direct descendant of Mark Antony and his second wife Antonia Hybrida Minor. Antony and Antonia Hybrida were first paternal cousins. He was Antony’s second born great grandson. Through Antony, he was a distant cousin to Roman Client King Ptolemy of Mauretania and Drusilla of Mauretania. He was also a distant cousin to Roman Emperors Caligula, Claudius and Nero and Roman Empresses Valeria Messalina, Agrippina the Younger and Claudia Octavia.

    Polemon II’s father Polemon Pythodoros King of Pontos died in 8 BC. His mother then married King Archelaus of Cappadocia, and the family moved to the court of his stepfather. In 17 AD Archelaus died and Polemon II and his mother moved back to Pontus. From 17 until 38, Polemon II assisted his mother in the administration of Pontos. When his mother died in 38, Polemon II succeeded her as the sole ruler of Pontus, Colchis and Cilicia.

    Around 50 AD, Polemon II met the Judean princess Julia Berenice in Tiberias during a visit to King Agrippa I. Berenice was widowed in 48 AD when her second husband and paternal uncle Herod of Chalcis, died. She had two sons by him, Berenicianus and Hyrcanus. Berenice set the condition that Polemon II had to convert to Judaism before marriage, which included undergoing the rite of circumcision. Polemon II complied, and the marriage went ahead but it did not last long. Berenice left Pontus with her sons and returned to the court of her brother. Polemon II abandoned Judaism and, according to the legend of Bartholomew the Apostle, accepted Christianity, only to become a pagan again.

    In 62, Nero compelled Polemon II to abdicate the Pontian throne. Pontos and Colchis became a Roman province. From then until his death, Polemon II only ruled Cilicia. He never remarried and had no children that are known.

    Polemon's sister Antonia Tryphaena's Royal lineage goes all the way down to Nana Queen of Iberia, who died in 363 AD. Truly Antony may have lost the battle of Actium but won the war of genetics!
     
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  9. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

  10. Ancient Aussie

    Ancient Aussie Well-Known Member

    Fantastic coin with great toning.
     
  11. Pavlos

    Pavlos You pick out the big men. I'll make them brave!

    That is a great looking coin, congratulations.
     
  12. cmezner

    cmezner do ut des Supporter

    The lettering of some Mark Antony & Octavia cistophorii seem to be getting smaller as if when they were to be struck the engravers suddenly realized that the letters would not fit.:oops:
    I have two cistophorii, and on both the "o" in ANToNIVS is much smaller than the other letters; same with the last T of "TERT", being almost half of the preceding letter:
    25 mm, 11.29 g
    upload_2019-2-18_21-3-51.png upload_2019-2-18_21-4-28.png
    On this one the lettering seem to be of similar size, except for the "o":
    26 mm, 11.61 g
    upload_2019-2-18_21-5-29.png upload_2019-2-18_21-5-44.png
    References are the same as given in previous posts
     
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  13. arizonarobin

    arizonarobin Well-Known Member

    What a great read and Thread.
    Here are my two from this ancestry!

    [​IMG]

    Poppaea, Nero
    Tetradrachm; 12.6gm;25mm
    POPPAIA SEBASTH
    Draped bust of Poppaea Sabina right
    NERW KLAU KAIS SEB GER AU
    Radiate head of Nero right
    date in right field LIA
    Dated 11 (AD 64/5)
    BMC 124, Milne 223
    (yes.. I know the reverse and obverse are swapped! but hey I collect the ladies!)

    [​IMG]

    Antonia Minor
    Ae Dupondius; 25-26mm; 9.25g
    ANTONIA-AVGVSTA
    draped bust right
    [TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TR P IMP]
    S-C across fields
    Claudius togate, standing left with simpulum
     
  14. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    nice coin and fine history! :)..i have one Marc Antony coin Marc Anthony denarius 001.JPG Marc Anthony denarius 004.JPG Marc Antony military mint, Greece, 42 BC
     
  15. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    Excellent coins, everyone!

    @Jay GT4... what a marvelous summary of Juba II! Now I badly want a coin of his :).
     
    ominus1, Roman Collector and Jay GT4 like this.
  16. Justin Lee

    Justin Lee I learn by doing

    Great coin, Warren!

    Here is my only one that might fit:
    CollageMaker_20190219_203559716.jpg
    Macedon, Thessalonica
    Marc Antony and Octavian, Struck 37 BC
    Obverse
    : AΓΩNOΘEΣIA, head of Agonothesia right.
    Reverse: ANT KAI, legend in two lines within wreath.
    References: RPC 1552; SNG Copenhagen 375
    Size: 23mm, 9.9g
    Notes: Suffers from a weak strike on upper-left of obverse, lower-left of reverse.
     
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