Marc Antony’s Denarius’ Coin Pendant

Description

One of the most remarkable figures in Roman history was Marc Antony, a military commander who, like so many others late in the 1st Century BC, struggled for supreme authority as the venerable Republic was thrown into chaos. After the deaths of Julius Caesar and Brutus, only two men remained in a position to claim a dictatorship in Rome: Marc Antony and Octavian.

These two commanders were allies when it was convenient, and enemies when they had the chance, and after a decade of conflict, they declared a war in which one would perish, and the other would rule the world. This silver coin was struck by Marc Antony as he prepared to fight Octavian, the reverse shows a war galley which demonstrates his intention to do battle with Octavian. the featured side of this coin depicts legionary military emblems. In all, Marc Antony honored more than twenty legions that were under his command – but they were not enough to save him from a disastrous naval defeat, after which Antony fled to Egypt where he committed suicide with Queen Cleopatra.