Series: Imperatorial - Mark Antony
Reference: Crawford 517/5a

Gens and monetary:Antonia / Cocceia - Mark Antony / Marco Coceyo Nerva
Year and mint:From 41 BC to 41 BC - Mobile
Obverse:Bust of Mark Antony, right. Dotted border. - M ANT IMP AVG III VIR R P C M NERVA PROQ P
Reverse:head of L. Antonius, right. Dotted border - L ANTONIVS COS

Grade:EF- / VF+ 3.85 g - 2h
Origin:Jesus Vico 2025

Comment:
Denarius minted in41 BC, in a context of strong political tension after the battle ofPhilippi. The emission belongs to the environment of theGens Antonia, a plebeian family that achieved enormous prominence in the 1st century BC. thanks toMark Antony, right-hand man of Julius Caesar and member of theSecond Triumvirate, and his brotherLucio Antonio, consul in that same year.
Heobverseshows the portrait ofMark Antony, presented with his triumviral titles and as Caesar’s political heir, reinforcing his military authority and legitimacy. In itreversethe bust appearsLucio Antonio, acting consul, underlining the institutional support for the Antonian cause. The iconography conveys a clear message offamily unity and concentration of power, combining military leadership and republican magistracy.
The monetary responsible wasMarco Coceyo Nerva, member of thegens Cocceia, mostly identified by historiography as the family of the future emperorNerva, of whom the monetary would be grandfather, which adds notable historical interest to the piece.
The coin is attributed to acampaign mint in the East, probablyEphesus or Antioch, key centers of Antonian power after Philippi.
This denarius constitutes apolitical propaganda piece, designed to legitimize the power of the Antonios at a critical moment, just before thePeruvian War (41–40 BC), a conflict that would reveal the internal tensions of the Triumvirate and put an end to the image of concord that the coin intended to convey.