Mark Antony, 44-30 BC. Denarius (Silver, 16 mm, 3.49 g, 6 h), military mint moving with Mark Antony (Patrae?), 32-31. ANT•AVG - III VIR R P [C] Galley right, with scepter tied with fillet on prow. Rev. LEG XXIII Aquila between two signa. Babelon (Antonia) 138. Crawford 544/39. CRI 383. RBW -. Sydenham 1246. Struck on a somewhat short flan, otherwise, extremely fine.


This legion was one of many raised by Antony in anticipation of the struggle with Octavian. It was disbanded after Actium, after which Octavian's Legio XXII Deiotariana retained the highest legion number in use for more than a century. It was only in circa 101-105 AD that Trajan created his Legio XXX Ulpia Victrix, an unusual naming since Legio XXIII was neither resurrected, nor did legions XXIX to XXIX ever exist. However, some of the lower numbers were used for more than one legion, and the XXX brought the total number of legions in service to thirty, which explains its unusual name.