Mark Antony, 44-30 BC. Denarius (Silver, 20 mm, 3.90 g, 3 h), Antiochia on the Orontes or a military mint travelling with Canidius Crassus in Armenia, 37. ANTONIVS•AVGVR•COS•DES•ITER•ET•TERT Bare head of Mark Antony to right. Rev. IMP• - TERTIO - •III• - VIR•R•P•C Seven-pointed Armenian tiara to right, decorated with three stars; behind, crossed bow and arrow. Babelon (Antonia) 94. Crawford 539/1. CRI 297. RBW 1828. Sydenham 1205. Perfectly centered and with an exceptional rendering of the Armenian tiara on the reverse. A wonderful coin and undoubtedly among the finest known. Minor weakness on the obverse, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.
This coin commemorates Canidius Crassus' Armenian campaign in 37 BC, during which he defeated the King Artavasdes II (56-34 BC) in an attempt to secure the Roman flank prior to Antony's planned invasion of Parthia. The Armenians were successfully subdued, and Artavasdes swore allegiance to his new overlords, but when Mark Antony moved against the Parthian Empire in 36 BC, the king failed to adequately protect the triumvir's baggage train, and Mark Antony eventually blamed him for the disastrous failure of his campaign. Two years later, the Romans invaded Armenia and disposed Artavasdes II, who was then held captive in Egypt for some years, before being executed at the order of Mark Antony right after the Battle of Actium.