Marcus Antonius. Cistophoric tetradrachm, Ephesus (?) 39, AR 11.57 g. M·ANTONIVS·IMP·COS· DESIG·ITER ET·TERT Ivy-wreathed head r.; below, lituus. All within ivy-wreath. Rev. III·VIR – R·P·C· Head of Octavia r. on cista mistica between two interlaced snakes with heads erect. Babelon Antonia 60. C 2. Sydenham 1197. RPC 2201.
Scarce. Lovely old cabinet tone and about extremely fine

The relationship between Marcus Antonius and Octavian was adversarial even at the best of times. They clashed in less than tow years after Caesar's murder, after which they formed a Triumvirate with Lepidus, preferring it to a winner-takes-all contest. Both lived uncomfortably in their new skins, biding time in the hope they might gain the upper hand with the passage of time. However, the battle they avoided later in 43 B.C was only postponed until they faced off at Actium a dozen years later. Their cooperation in the short term allowed Antonius and Octavian to jointly defeat Brutus and Cassius at Philippi in 42, after which the victors went their separate ways: Antony departing for the east, and Octavian returning to the west. Upon arriving in Italy, Octavian was faced with two unexpected forces, Antony's wife Fulvia and his youngest brother Lucius Antonius, who took up arms against Octavian. The young triumvir scored a military victory against them in the Perusine War, and both of his opponents died of natural causes within months of war's end. Civil war with Antonius was now imminent, but was averted when the two met in southern Italy in October 40, and signed the treaty of Brindisium, by which they divided the Roman world between themselves. Not surprisingly, Antony took the east and Octavian took the west, and together they decided that Lepidus, the "third wheel" of the triumvirate, should remain restricted to North Africa. In an effort to strengthen the new agreement, Antony entered into an ill-fated marriage with Octavian’s only sister, Octavia.