Marc Antony and Octavia

Post anything you feel is relevant, of course!

Marc Antony wed Octavian's sister Octavia in 40 BC. The marriage was arranged to cement a reconciliation between Rome's three triumvirs following Octavian's defeat of eight legions led by Antony's brother Lucius (and largely funded by Antony's wife Fulvia) against Rome. With the marriage came the treaty of Brundisium that divided Rome into Africa (Lepidus), the West (Octavian), and the East (Antony).

Things were not to last, however. Four years later, Antony abandoned the pregnant Octavia and their two daughters and traveled east to Antioch and the border with Parthia. From there, he summoned Cleopatra, the mother of his twin boys to prepare for war against the Parthians. Following a series of military victories in the east that increased Antony and Cleopatra's power and influence, Antony declared Cleopatra the Queen of Kings and Queen of Egypt. He also declared her son Caesarion as the legitimate son and heir of Julius Caesar.

This led to an irreconcilable rift between Antony and Octavian, making military confrontation inevitable.

This coin, issued to mark the marriage that brought a brief respite between Rome's two most powerful men, depicts the conjugate heads of Antony and Octavia -- a public demonstration of conjugal bliss.


Antony and Octavia
AR cistophorus, 25.6 mm, 11.71 gm
Ephesus, 39 BC
Obv: M ANTONINVS IMP COS DESIG ITER ET TERT, Conjugate 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.

 

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Nice one RC..i'd like to get one of those also, but for now i only have the military Anthony of Philippi..and worn @ that, but what it lacks in luster it makes up for in history..i'm proud to have it

 

What a wonderful historical type! I bet it is quite a treat in hand. Congrats!

 

I've shown this coin often enough, but it is the only one I have with MA's portrait

 

I'll play along with Antony's relatives both before and after him. I'll start with his grandfather:



Bowcase flanked by two serpents, heads confronted, monogram above, serpent twined around thyrsus to right, Q to left.

Cista mystica with serpent, all within ivy wreath

Pergamum
Ca. 133-56 BC.

BMC Ionia 176 (under M. Antonius M.f.)

12.34 g

These "anonymous" issues were struck in Pergamum by Roman Quaestors between ca. 100-56 BC. They are called anonymous because the monograms are not easily identifiable. This issue is commonly attributed to be either Mark Antony or his brother Lucius Antony who both served as Quaestors in the east. However it is more likely that the Quaestor was in fact Marcus Antonius the orator who was Marcus and Lucius Grandfather. He served as Consul in 99 BC and as a Quaestor in Asia in 113/112 BC

His son-in-law Juba II and daughter 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 finally Antony's great grandson:




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!

 

Anthony and Octavian sharing a coin image together ? Not exactly lovey-dovey !!!
Some historians quibble over whether Caesarion was Son of Julius Caesar, some even say that Caesarion never existed !!! As for the death of Cleopatra, historical dogma insists she committed suicide by a snake-in-the-basket. I would question that, and tend to agree that she was murdered by Octavian !!!

 

Very nice @Roman Collector ! Very nice Cisto of History!

And I really enjoy everyone else's coins and write-ups! Very fun reads.

I have a couple women associated with Antony to offer - Ex-Wife Fulvia:


RImp Marc Antony 43 BCE AR Quinarius 13mm 1.67g Lugdunum Winged bust Victory-probly Fulvia Lion DVNI LVGV Cr 489-5 Syd 1160


This one is debatable if this is Cleopatra vs. Arsinoe III... But, hey, I will play the odds...

Ægypt
Cleopatra VII
Æ11 of Cyprus
Obv: Her bust r
Rev: Cornucopiae
Comments: nrly centered, smooth dark green patina with hilighting; tiny rev legnd visible. Last Pharaoh of Ægypt

And, here is Marc Antony's daughter...

RI ANTONIA AVGVSTA d-Marc Antony w-Nero Claudius Drusus AE Dupondius 28mm 11-8g Claudius togate holding simpulum S-C

 

Love the coin and love the history lesson! Thank you sir.

 

very nice coins Alegandron...Cleo 7 and Antonia i know are hard to come by and esp. in that'd good shape.

 

"Lifelong" Buddies...


RImp Antony-Octavian AR Denarius 41 BCE 3.65g 18.7mm Italian mint star Craw 528-2a Sear 1507

Here is a Buddy who supposedly supported Marc Antony @Cleopatra with his troops at the Battle of Actium

INDO-GREEK KINGDOM Zoilos II Circa 50-40 BCE AR drachm 17mm 2.3g Athena Alkidemos l monograms Antony Actium SNG ANS 1654-1658
Ex: @John Anthony (Marc Antony's younger brother)

Kinda ironic his Legionary coins feature Galleys when he got blown away at the Naval Battle of Actium...

RImp Marc Antony Legio XVI AR Den 18mm 3.4g Mil mint 32-31 BCE Praetorian Galley Aquila 2 Stds Cr 544-31 RSC 48

 

He looks like John Adams a little bit.

 

Yeah, more like QUINCY:



Zoilos Quincy

 

i'm gonna post today my unknown to me Indo-Greek coin to see if you know what/who it is Aleg.

 

The best I w

I would be able to identify your coin and the guy on it as being from Earth, and maybe that it is "old". Not good with that area/time in History...

 

haha!..well it posed to be from Bactria..seems i got one with a bust like yours but this one no longer has that.. you can take a gander @ it anyway..^^

 

YUP! Earth...Old...
Maybe @John Anthony has an idea?

 

hehe...you nailed it paly

 

..this one is like yours...it has a bust on it

 

Nice addition! A very neat type