Classical Numismatic
Group, Inc.
An Elusive Denarius Of Labienus
1314. LABIENUS. 40-39 BC. AR Denarius (3.80 gm). Mint in Asia Minor. Q. LABŒNVS PARTHICVS. IMP, bare head right / Horse standing right, with bridle and saddle, to which a bag is attached. Crawford 524/2; Sydenham 1357; BMCRR (East) 132; RSC 2; C. Hersch, "The Coinage of Quin tus Labienus Parthicus," SNR 59 (1980), pg.44,3b (this coin) and pl.4, A /3. Toned VF. Very rare. ($10,000)
1317. MARK ANTONY and OCTAVIAN. 41 BC. AR Denarius (3.37 The Iames Fox Collection; ex Monetarium (Swiss Credit), list 51 (1989), lot 136a; gm). ex Mint moving with Mark Antony. M. Barbatius Pollio, moneyer. M ANT IMP AVG ffl VIR R Ρ C M BARBAT Q Ρ, bare head of Antony right / E.J. Haeberlin Collection (Cahn/Hess, 17 July 1933), lot 2900; ex De Quelen CAESAR IMP PONT HI VIR R Ρ C, bare head of Octavian right. Crawford Collection (Rollin et Feuardent, 7 May 1888), lot 505. 517/2; Sydenham 1181; BMCRR (East) 100; RSC 8. Superb EF, choice old Quintus Labienus'father, a loyal Republican, died at the battle of Munda in 45 BC. cabinet toning. Perfectly struck and well centered on a broad flan. [See color ($3500) His son joined the Republican cause and was sent to Persia to negotiate a pad of plate). assistance with Orodes 1, remaining at the Parthian court after the defeat of Brutus and Cassius in 42 BC. Orodes, concerned about the growing Raman presence in The James Fox Collection. Asia and learning ofgrowing dissatisfaction in the provinces, sent his son Pakoros and The second Triumvirate, Octavian, Mark Antony and Lepidus, was formed in a large and heavily armored cavalryforce with Labienus on an invasion of Syria in 40 November of 43. Following a period of the proscriptions, which saw the death of BC. Labienus quickly subdued Syria and Cilicia and sentforces into Lycia and Caria al- leadingfiguresincluding Cicero, and the battle of Philippi in 42 where the before Ventidius Bassus arrivedfrom Greece with eleven legions. Labienus and hismany last of the Liberators, Brutus and Cassiusfell, all hopes of returning to the Republican lies were driven back to Cilicia, where the Parthian cavalry was routed at Mt. Taurus and Labienus killed. Labienus, the last of the Republicans, died a traitor to Rome,form of government were dashed. The Roman empire was divided among the Triumvirate, Antony in the East, Odavian in the West and Lepidus in Africa. M. and all but a handful of his coinage was melted down after his defeat. Barbatius Pollio was a long time friend of Julius Caesar, and under the second Triumvirate, served as quaestor pro praetore to Antony in the East. 41 BC was a busy yearfor Antony, including hisfirstmeeting with Cleopa tra in Tarsus, and it is not known exactly where this issue was produced, though Ephesus is sometimes suggested. Only three years after thefirst con temporary portrait coins had appeared in Rome, the type had becomefully developed, with a large central portrait and endrcling inscription, upon which all later imperial iconography was based.
1315. LEPIDUS and OCTAVIAN. 42 BC. AR Denarius (3.66 gm). LEPIDVS PONT MAX [ΠΙ V R Ρ C], bare head of Lepidus right / C CAESAR IMP ΙΠ VIR R Ρ C, bare head of Octavian right. Crawfond 495/2d; Sydenham 1323; BMCRR (Africa) 29; RSC 2c. Toned, good VF. ($1500) The James Fox Collection. MARK ANTONY and OCTAVIAN. 41 BC. AR Denarius (3.84 This issue was struck by Lepidus to commemorate thefoundation of the Second 1318. gm). Mint moving with Mark Antony. M. Barbatius Pollio, moneyer. M Triumvirate, and was probably struckfrom the proceeds of the proscriptions in preparation for the campaign against Brutus and Cassius in 42 BC. Lepidus is shown ANT IMP AVG Ol VIR R Ρ C M BARBAT Q Ρ, bare head of Antony nght / IMP PONT m VIR R Ρ C, bare head of Octavian right. Crawford with the title Pontifex Maximus, an office which he received after the assassination CAESAR of 517/2; Sydenham 1181; BMCRR (East) 100; RSC 8. Toned, good VF. Julius Caesar and held until his death in 12 BC. __ ($500)
1316. MARK ANTONY. Circa 42 BC. AR Denarius (4.01 gm). Struck in the name of C. Vibius Varus. Bare head of Mark Antony right / C VIBIVS VARVS, Fortuna standing left, holding Victory and comucopiae. Crawford 494/32; Sydenham 1144; BMCRR 4293; RSC 4. Toned, nearEF/EF. ($3500)
1319. MARK ANTONY and LUCIUS ANTONY. 41 BC. AR Denanus (3.90 gm). M ANT M P AVG m VIR R Ρ C M NERVA PROQ P, head of Mark Antony right / L ANTONIVS COS, head of Lucius Antony right. Crawford 517/5a; Sydenham 1185; BMCRR (East) 107; RSC 2. Toned, good VF. Rare. ($1500) The Myron Stepath Collection; ex John W. Garrett Colledion, part I (Numismatic Fine Arts/Bank Leu, 16-18 May 1984), lot 691; ex Jacques Schulman (11 Ncrvember 1928); ex Hennesy Collection.
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