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Denarius - Mark Antony LEG XII
| Issuer | Roman Republic (509 BC - 27 BC) |
|---|---|
| Year | 32 BC - 31 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Denarius (1) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | A legionary aquila (eagle standard) displayed facing, flanked on either side by two signa (military standards), the left standard adorned with a wreath motif and the right with a round disc. The aquila is rendered in fine relief at center. Below the standards, the legend LEG XII is inscribed in the lower field, identifying the Twelfth Legion. The design is enclosed within a beaded border, the overall composition characteristic of Mark Antony's military coinage struck to pay his legions. |
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| Additional information |
Struck in mobile military mints traveling with Antony's fleet ahead of Actium, these legionary denarii were produced in extraordinary quantities to pay his troops — ancient sources suggest he fielded over 100,000 soldiers and a substantial naval force for the campaign. Legio XII Antiqua had served under Caesar in Gaul and followed Antony east, fighting at Philippi in 42 BC before joining the disastrous Parthian expedition of 36 BC. The notoriously debased silver content of these issues — significantly below contemporary Augustan output — likely reflects the financial strain of sustaining such a massive force in hostile territory.
Post-Actium, Octavian kept these coins in circulation for decades rather than withdrawing them, a pragmatic concession to the sheer volume minted. Extended circulation is why unworn examples are genuinely scarce.