Mark Antonys 'Fleet Coinage' - Some info around the system of denominations.

Since I received my 'Fleet Coinage' dupondius' not long ago, I now have a set of all the larger denominations within the coinage (As, Dupondius, Tressis and Sestertius, mixed from both the light and the heavy series).

I had some spare time today, so I made a little collage with the reverses of these coins to illustrate how the range of denominations were marked (the sestertius is quite worn on the reverse so the details are not the greatest sadly), what is interesting is the system used, with Latin legends, Greek numerals and different control marks.

Apart from the coins represented here, the series was completed by two fractions, a semis and quadrans, marked S and with three dots (three unciae) respectively.

The As has a single galley depicted on the reverse, one head of Medusa, and the Greek alpha (A or 1).

The Dupondius has two galleys, two pilei of the Dioscuri, and the Greek beta (B or 2), as it's value is meant to be that of two Asses.

The Tressis has three galleys, a triskeles, and a Greek gamma (Γ or 3) as it's value is supposed to represent three Asses.

The Sestertius has a quadriga of hippocamps, an astragalos, and the Greek delta (Δ or 4) as it's value represents four Asses.





I am also including the obverse of each coin in a little collage below.

There seems to be some play going on with the values of the coins in some cases here as well.

The As has jugate busts of Antony and Octavia.

The Dupondius has two confronting busts of Antony and Octavia.

The Tressis sports three busts on the obverse, jugate busts of Antony and Octavian facing a bust of Octavia.

As for the Sestertius, there seems to be no obvious play with the number four on the obverse.



These unusual coins are examples of Mark Anthony's "fleet coinage," a series of bronzes in multiple, clearly marked denominations issued shortly after Antony's marriage alliance with Octavian, the nephew of Julius Caesar. The exact dates, the nature and purpose of the series have been the subject of much debate. David Sear places the commencement of the series in the summer of 38 BC at a still unidentified Eastern mint. The coins were struck in the names of Antony and three of his admirals--L. Sempronius Atratinus, M. Oppius Capito, and L. Calpurnius Bibulus, and falls into two distinct series, "heavy" and "light".

Most of the coins depict overlapping, confronting or Janiform portraits of Antony and Octavia, his wife and Octavian's sister. A few also show Octavian, in a clearly subsidiary position. Reverses almost all feature nautical themes--galleys under full sail, or figures in chariots drawn by hippocamps. The admiral's names, themes, and the combination of Greek and Latin letters indicate the coins may have been used to pay sailors in Antony's fleet, and were intended for circulation in his Eastern realm.

M. Oppius Capito (whose coins are represented here) was Antony’s senior naval officer, stationed at the main naval base at Piraeus. His coins are found distributed around central Greece, and were most likely struck at Piraeus. His coins are found in two series, a heavy and a light and it has been suggested that some were struck at Tarentum where part of Antony’s fleet was based during the joint action against Sextus Pompey in 37-36 BC.

Coin references:

RPC I 1470 - https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/1470

RPC I 1469 - https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/1469

RPC I 1463 - https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/1463

RPC I 1462 - https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/1462

 

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Really very interesting, thank you.

 

@Michael Stolt, Very interesting writeup on these obscure issues. Are the depicted coins from your personal collection?

 

I always get excited to see what you will be posting next @Michael Stolt. However, due to the extreme obscurity of many of your highly desirable coin types I don't have anything to add.
Though today, if a bit of a stretch, I do! As well, mine is very obscure... but not so desirable
Here is a contemporary imitation (or merely a sign of how desperate things had gotten) of a man who commanded 4 legions for MA, Scarpus

Scarpus Denarius
Contemporary Copy - 27 BC
Obv: CAES [ ] legend with open hand design. Rev: bull(?) left with inscriptions above and below. 1.25 grams. Fair.
Provenance
From an old Hampshire collection; found near Colchester, UK, 2000s. Purchased from Timeline Auctions Feb 2021
L. Pinarius Scarpus commanded four legions for Marc Antony in Cyrenaica against Octavian's African army, which was under the command of Cornelius Gallus. Scarpus changed his allegiance to Octavian after the defeat of Antony at the Battle of Actium and this issue was minted shortly afterward, the open hand signalizing a gesture of friendship toward Octavian. This issue is the last denarius of the Roman Republic in Crawford.

 

Thank you!

Yes, all the coins are from my personal collection.

 

Excellent. You do know your stuff.