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Roman Rep. M. Antonius and Octavian. Aureus 39, AV 8.09g.

Currency:CHF Category:Coins & Paper Money / Coins: Ancient Start Price:30,400.00 CHF Estimated At:38,000.00 CHF
Roman Rep. M. Antonius and Octavian. Aureus 39, AV 8.09g.
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The Roman Republic. M. Antonius and Octavian. Aureus, mint moving with M. Antonius in 39, AV 8.09g. M·ANTON·IMP·IIIVIR·R·P·C Head of M. Antonius r.; below star. Rev. CAESAR·IMP·III·VIR·R·P·C· Head of Octavian r., slightly bearded; below neck, dot. Babelon Antonia 37. C –, cf.1 (denarius). Bahrfeldt 75a. Sydenham –, cf. 1193 (denarius). Sear Imperators 260a. Crawford 528/1a. Calicó –. Of the greatest rarity, only the third known specimen and the only one in private hands. Struck on a full flan and about extremely fine. Ex NAC sale 18, 2000, 361. No greater rivalry existed in the history of Rome than that of Marc Antony and Octavian, the triumvirs whose portraits share this aureus. After Julius Caesar's murder in March, 44 B.C., the two men clashed twice in less than two years, with the outcomes being unfavourable to either side. Thus, they formed a Triumvirate with Lepidus to establish a truce, allowing each in the meantime to try and gain the upper hand. As allies they defeated Brutus and Cassius at Philippi late in 42, and then withdrew to their own corners: Antony resided in the East and Octavian returned to the West, where a new crisis was about to break. Antony’s wife Fulvia and his youngest brother Lucius Antony took up arms against Octavian, only to be defeated in what is known as the Perusine War; both of Octavian's opponents died of natural causes within months and it seemed that civil war with Antony was imminent. However, conflict was averted when the two men signed a pact at Brundisium in October, 40 that divided between them the Roman world. Little changed, as Antony remained in the East and Octavian in the West, and they restricted their triumviral colleague Lepidus to North Africa. The pact was sealed with a royal marriage when Antony agreed to marry Octavian’s sister Octavia. This aureus, issued in the aftermath of that critical meeting, is nothing less than a public declaration that for the time being the two warlords had mended their differences.