RPC I 2201

Ruler:  Marc Antony and Octavia AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm of Ephesus, Ionia. 

Denomination: Cistophorus

Obverse: M(arcus) Antonius Imp(erator) Co(n)s(ul) Desig(natus) iter(um) et tert(ium); (Mark Antony, commander, consul designate for the second and third time;) head of Antony wearing ivy wreath, right; below, lituus; all enclosed in wreath of ivy leaves and flowers

Reverse:  III vir r(ei) p(ublicae) c(onstituendae); (triumvir for the restoration of the republic); draped bust of Octavia, right, above cista flanked by twisting serpents

Reference: RPC I 2201

Mint:  Ephesus? struck circa 39 BC

Provenance:  ex auction Numismatica Ars Classica 92 (part 2), Zürich 2016, Nr. 1953; ex auction Fritz Rudolf Künker 295, Osnabrück 2017, Nr. 625; ex auction Hess-Divo 338, Zürich 2019, Nr. 1060.

Notes: The progression of uneasy peace between Octavian and Antony saw many twists and turns throughout their years as first aggressors against the conspirators, and then as co-rulers of an unsettled empire. The relationship between the two men was never comfortable. Unfortunately for Octavian's sister, Octavia, she was thrust into their relationship when it was decided that she would marry Antony to solidify the bond between the two triumvirs. Octavia married Antony and moved with him to the eastern provinces. She seems to have done all she could to make it a happy marriage but Antony eventually abandoned her in favor of Cleopatra.

Antony divorced Octavia in 32 BC. She is the second Roman woman to appear on coinage after only Fulvia, Antony's previous wife, who had died prior to the marriage with Octavia. After the defeat of Antony at Actium, and his subsequent death, Octavia raised Marc Antony's children by Cleopatra along with her own children. She is reported to have been a model figure during her life. MSG.

The relationship between Marc Antony and Octavian was adversarial even at the best of times. They clashed in less than tow years after Caesar's murder, after which they formed a Triumvirate with Lepidus, preferring it to a winner-takes-all contest. Both lived uncomfortably in their new skins, biding time in the hope they might gain the upper hand with the passage of time. However, the battle they avoided later in 43 B.C was only postponed until they faced off at Actium a dozen years later.

Their cooperation in the short term allowed Antony and Octavian to jointly defeat Brutus and Cassius at Philippi in 42, after which the victors went their separate ways: Antony departing for the east, and Octavian returning to the west. Upon arriving in Italy, Octavian was faced with two unexpected forces, Antony's wife Fulvia and his youngest brother Lucius Antony, who took up arms against Octavian. The young triumvir scored a military victory against them in the Perusine War, and both of his opponents died of natural causes within months of war's end.

Civil war with Antony was now imminent, but was averted when the two met in southern Italy in October 40, and signed the treaty of Brindisium, by which they divided the Roman world between themselves. Not surprisingly, Antony took the east and Octavian took the west, and together they decided that Lepidus, the "third wheel" of the triumvirate, should remain restricted to North Africa. In an effort to strengthen the new agreement, Antony entered into an ill-fated marriage with Octavians only sister, Octavia.

Collezione : 14 Roman Cistophori