Mark Antony, 44-30 BC. Denarius (Silver, 18 mm, 3.51 g), military mint moving with Mark Antony (Patrae?), 32-31 BC. ANT•AVG - III VIR•R•P•C Galley right, with scepter tied with fillet on prow. Rev. LEG X Aquila between two signa. Babelon (Antonia) 117. Crawford 544/24. CRI 361. Sydenham 1228. Beautifully toned and unusually well preserved. Graffito smoothed on the obverse, otherwise, good very fine.


Legio X was recruited about 70 BC in Gallia Cisalpina, and was one of Julius Caesar's original legions from the early stages of the Gallic Wars. Its cognomen Equestris resulted from an incident in which all of its legionaries were mounted on horses to escort Caesar to his interview with the German chief Ariovistus. The Legion later fought in the Civil War against Pompey and was disbanded in 45 BC and its veterans being settled as farmers near Narbonne. In the following year, however, the Legion was reconstituted by Lepidus, and it eventually fought at Philippi, in Mark Antony's Parthian campaign, and at Actium. Following Anthony's defeat, its veterans were settled by Octavian in Patrae, but they rebelled for unclear reasons and the unit lost its cognomen of Equestris as a punishment. The tenth was eventually reassembled with veterans from other legions under the name of Legio X Gemina (the 'Twin' Tenth Legion), serving in Spain, Pannonia and Germany.