Crawford 544/14

Moneyer: Marc Antony, as Imperator and Triumvir (43-30 BC).

Denomination: Denarius

Obverse:  ANT[onius]•AVG[vr] / III•VIR•R•P•C, war galley under oar right with triple ram prow and scepter tied with fillet

Reverse:  LEG-II, aquila flanked by standard (signum) on either side

Reference: Crawford 544/14

Mint:  Legionary issue, mint moving with Antony in Greece (Aegae or Patrae), 32-31 BC

Weight: 

Note: The legion possibly represented on this coin was Legio II Augusta. It was founded around 43 BC, and swore allegiance to Octavian after the Battle of Philippi in 42 BC, and remained in his service through the Battle of Actium. Afterward, it was apparently dissolved between 30-14 BC, and soon after reformed as the new Legio II Augusta.

At the close of the Civil War, Octavian found himself with several armies comprising elements of 60 legions, some of which had sworn loyalty to opposing factions. We only know the names and numbers of some of these legions - of those which were not retained after the disbanding and amalgamation of many legions, and the discharging of over 100,000 veterans mostly to old and newly founded colonies, very little information survives. 

This coin belongs to the well-known series of the 'legionary coinage', issued by Marc Antony and Cleopatra VII in preparation for the war against Octavian.
Therefore, they pre-date the Battle of Actium in September 31 BC (which led to their suicides), but were used by the soldiers who fought this war. Several millions of such coins were struck, the immense majority obviously having been melted since, and their rarity varies according to each legion.

The iconography is probably copied from a denarius issued in 82 BC by C. Valerius Flaccus (type Crawford 365/1), and this design would be used again multiple times during the Roman empire.

Collection : 16 Roman Republic