MARC ANTONY SILVER DENARIUS – LEGIONARY ISSUE FOR 19th LEGION (LEG XIX) – AU 5-5 NGC GRADED ROMAN IMPERATORIAL COIN (Inv. 19779)

$2,500.00

19779. ROMAN IMPERATORIAL. MARC ANTONY.
Silver Denarius, 3.72 g, 19 mm. Issue of a military mint traveling with Antony (Patrae ?), struck 32–31 BC.
Obv. ANT AVG, praetorian galley right. Rev. LEG XIX, Legionary eagle between a pair of military standards.
Crawford 544/35; Sydenham 1242.
NGC graded AU, Strike 5/5, Surface 5/5, with dark gray cabinet patina.

The true origin of legio XIX is shrouded in mystery. Legions with this numerical designation were employed by both Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great during the civil war of 49–45 BC, but it is unknown what ultimately became of them. A legio XIX was named a little over a decade later on Mark Antony’s famous legionary denarii, but this is usually thought to have been a new legion raised by Octavian after the Battle of Philippi (42 BC). Its designation Classica (“Seaborne”) is believed to be an indication that the original purpose of the legion was to fight against Sextus Pompey and his naval forces based in Sicily. However, after the falling out between Antony and Octavian, the legion sided with the former. Although Antony was defeated, legio XIX survived to become one of the legions assigned to defend the northern frontier against the Germanic tribes during the reign of Augustus. In AD 9, the legion was completely destroyed along with legiones XVII and XVIII at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest—one of the worst defeats in Roman history.