Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 106 9-10 May 2018
View prices realized
► Sale information
Find similar lots
Cleopatra with Marcus Antonius. Denarius, mint moving with M. Antonius 32, AR 3.72 g. CLEOPATRAE ·REGINAE·REGVM·FILIORVM·REGVM Draped and diademed bust of Cleopatra r. Rev. ANTONI· ARMENIA·DEVICTA Head of M. Antonius r.; behind, Armenian tiara. Babelon Antonia 95. C 1. Sydenham 1210. Sear Imperators 345. Buttrey, Essays Russo, p. 303, 52. RBW 1832. Crawford 543/1.
Very rare and a very plesant specimen of this desirable issue. Two lovely portraits
of fine style, unusually well centred and with a wonderful old cabinet tone.
About extremely fine / good very fine
Ex Nomisma sale 55, 2017, 35.
As the struggle between Marc Antony and Octavian dragged on in the 30s B.C., the geographical and political lines became ever more defined. Antony had become entrenched in the Eastern Mediterranean, and in doing so had allied himself with Cleopatra VII, queen of Egypt, whose original supporter in Rome, Julius Caesar, had been murdered years before. She had his son, Caesarion, at her side, but she needed an ally like Antony if she hoped to preserve Egypt from the ever-widening grasp of Rome. Importantly, Antony was easier to manipulate than Octavian, who had no sympathy for Cleopatra's motives. Although this woman of blinding intellect may have found her marriage to Antony a degrading experience, personally, she was crafty enough to realise it was her only chance at survival. Hence, she was probably eager to issue dual-portrait coins, such as the denarius offered here. Little more indication is necessary to recognise that Cleopatra had effectively dominated her husband, the Roman warlord Antony.
Very rare and a very plesant specimen of this desirable issue. Two lovely portraits
of fine style, unusually well centred and with a wonderful old cabinet tone.
About extremely fine / good very fine
Ex Nomisma sale 55, 2017, 35.
As the struggle between Marc Antony and Octavian dragged on in the 30s B.C., the geographical and political lines became ever more defined. Antony had become entrenched in the Eastern Mediterranean, and in doing so had allied himself with Cleopatra VII, queen of Egypt, whose original supporter in Rome, Julius Caesar, had been murdered years before. She had his son, Caesarion, at her side, but she needed an ally like Antony if she hoped to preserve Egypt from the ever-widening grasp of Rome. Importantly, Antony was easier to manipulate than Octavian, who had no sympathy for Cleopatra's motives. Although this woman of blinding intellect may have found her marriage to Antony a degrading experience, personally, she was crafty enough to realise it was her only chance at survival. Hence, she was probably eager to issue dual-portrait coins, such as the denarius offered here. Little more indication is necessary to recognise that Cleopatra had effectively dominated her husband, the Roman warlord Antony.