Lot 2740

Description

Mark Antony, (44-30 B.C.), silver denarius, issued Autumn 37 B.C., (3.34 g), Antioch or military mint traveling with Canidius Crassus in Armenia, obv. bare head of Antony right, around ANTONIVS AVGVR COS DES ITER ET TERT, rev. seven pointed Armenian tiara right, decorated with three stars, crossed bow and arrow behind, IMP TERTIO III VIR R P C, (S.1476, RSC 19, Syd 1205, Cr 539/1). Lightly toned, banker's mark on obverse, graffito on reverse, fine and very rare.

Ex Raffy Kassabian Collection.^This coin commemorates Canidius Crassus' Armenian campaign in 37 BC, during which he defeated the King Artavasdes II (56-34 BC) in an attempt to secure the Roman flank prior to Antony's planned invasion of Parthia. The Armenians were successfully subdued, and Artavasdes swore allegiance to his new overlords, but when Mark Antony moved against the Parthian Empire in 36 BC, the Armenian king failed to adequately protect the triumvir's baggage train, and Mark Antony eventually blamed him for the disastrous failure of his campaign. Two years later, the Romans invaded Armenia and deposed Artavasdes II, who was then held captive in Egypt for some years before being executed at the order of Mark Antony right after the Battle of Actium. (per Leu Numismatik).^CNG notes that this type is ten times rarer than the Antony/Cleopatra denarius.