CLEOPATRA VII Queen of Egypt
and Her Lovers Julius Caesar and Mark Antony
Greek and Roman Coin Collection & Collecting Guide
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEGVq9l0fvM
Guide to collecting rare ancient Greek coins of Cleopatra VII Queen of Egypt and the rare roman coins of her Lovers Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. The goal of this article is to give examples of authentic ancient Greek and Roman coins depicting the very famous charcters. This guide tells a great story and is a great watch for those that are trying to build a coin collection of these historical figures. There additional coins of Juba II and Cleopatra Selene, daughter of Mark Antony with Cleopatra. Other coin types shown are of Antonia, daughter of Octavia Minor, who Mark Antony left for Cleopatra, whom wound up having a son named Claudius, Roman emperor 41-54 A.D.
This article is designed to give you easy access to do an easy search in my store, along with direct links to the coins mentioned in the videos here. Enjoy.
Click the following to see all coins of
- Cleopatra VII
- Cleopatra – all ancient coins with her namesake
- Julius Caesar
- Mark Antony
- Augustus
- Octavia – sister of Augustus, wife to Mark Antony.
- Antonia – daughter of Octavia and Mark Antony, mother to Claudius, Roman emperor 41-54 A.D.
- Cleopatra Selene – daughter of Cleopatra VII and Mark Antony, raised by Octavia, became Queen with Juba II.
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Article by Ilya Zlobin, world-renowned expert numismatist, enthusiast, author and dealer in authentic ancient Greek, ancient Roman, ancient Byzantine coins and beyond, running the eBay store Authentic Ancient Greek Roman Coins.
For more great articles and videos on ancient coins, visit, https://www.trustedancientcoins.com/articles/ or Click here to see all of my EDUCATIONAL COIN VIDEOS
The ancient coins featured in the video:
Queen CLEOPATRA VII JULIUS CAESAR & MARK ANTONY Lover Egyptian Greek Coin i63289
Authentic Ancient
Greek Coin of
Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt
Cleopatra VII – Queen: 51-30 B.C.
Bronze 80 drachmai 26mm (12.97 grams) Alexandria mint
Reference: Sear 7955; Svoronos 1871; B.M.C.6.123,4-5
Diademed and draped bust of Cleopatra VII right.
ΚΛΕΟΠΑΤΡΑΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΗΣ, Ealge standing left on thunderbolt; in field to left, double cornucopia; to right, mark of value Π (=80).
As 480 bronze drachms were the equivalent of one silver drachm at this time, the 80 drachmai piece would have circulated as an obol, and the 40 drachmai as a hemiobol.
Queen Cleopatra, famous for being the lover of both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, along with being a very important historical figure. As it is a portrait coin of Cleopatra herself, this coin type is highly sought-after and appreciated by collectors and historians alike.
ANTIOCH on the ORONTES 48BC Greek Coin CLEOPATRA VII of Egypt Countermark i58712
Authentic Ancient Coin of:
Greek city of Antioch on the Orontes in Seleukis and Pieria
Bronze Tetrachalkon 23mm (13.32 grams) Dated year 19 of the Pompeian Era, 48/47 B.C.
Reference: McAlee 43; RPC I 4216; DCA 384; HGC 9, 1366. For c/m: McAlee p. 74, note 25.
Laureate head of Zeus right; countermark: female head (ostensibly of Cleopatra VII) right within oval incuse
ANTIOXEΩN THΣ MHTPOΠOΛΕΩΣ, Zeus Nikephoros seated left; IΘ (date) in exergue; all within laurel wreath.
From McAlee, The Coins of Roman Antioch (p. 74, note 25): “The coins of this year (Pompeian Era 19=48/7 BC) and of Year 3 of the Caesarean Era are frequently seen with a countermark on the obverse, which was previously described as “head of Apollo r.” in an oval. As discussed in the text, it now seems likely that the countermark portrays Cleopatra, and was used to mark coins circulating in the Syro-Phoenician territories, which were given to her by Mark Antony.”
CLEOPATRA VII Julius Caesar Lover 40BC Alexandria Egypt Silver Greek Coin i63305
Authentic Ancient
Greek Coin of
Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt
Cleopatra VII – Queen: 51-30 B.C.
Silver Tetradrachm 26mm (12.78 grams) Alexandria mint, dated year 13, 40/39 B.C.
Reference: Sear 7953 var.; SNG Copenhagen 408; Svoronos 1828
Diademed head of Ptolemy I right, wearing aegis.
ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ, Eagle standing left on thunderbolt with palm over shoulder; L IΓ (date) above head-dress of Isis to left, ΠA to right.
The Ptolemaic kingdom before Cleopatra, famous for being the lover of both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, and during her reign would use the portrait of the dynasty’s founder Ptolemy I on the silver tetradrachm coins from the mint in Alexandria. The differentation can be made by the refined style of the portraiture on the coins of Cleopatra VII, as can be seen in the picture of in Sear no. 7952. It is interesting to note that on her portrait coins she bears a striking resemblence to the dynasty founder Ptolemy I, or perhaps she ordered a portrait that had a close resemblence to her as a political tool to legitimize her reign. Although not a portrait coin of Cleopatra herself, it is a coin struck under her reign as Queen or Pharaoh of Egypt and is very rare nonetheless.
CLEOPATRA VII JULIUS CAESAR & MARK ANTONY Lover Egyptian Greek Coin NGC F i58223
Authentic Ancient
Greek Coin of
Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt
Cleopatra VII – Queen: 51-30 B.C.
Bronze 80 drachmai 25mm (17.54 grams) Alexandria mint
Reference: Sear 7955; Svoronos 1871; B.M.C.6.123,4-5
Certification: NGC Ancients F Strike: 4/5 Surface: 4/5 4375810-005
Diademed and draped bust of Cleopatra VII right.
ΚΛΕΟΠΑΤΡΑΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΗΣ, Ealge standing left on thunderbolt; in field to left, double cornucopia; to right, mark of value Π (=80).
As 480 bronze drachms were the equivalent of one silver drachm at this time, the 80 drachmai piece would have circulated as an obol, and the 40 drachmai as a hemiobol.
CLEOPATRA VII – JULIUS CAESAR & MARK ANTONY Lover Egyptian Greek Coin NGC i61967
Authentic Ancient
Greek Coin of
Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt
Cleopatra VII – Queen: 51-30 B.C.
Bronze 40 drachmai / Hemiobol 21mm (8.46 grams) Alexandria mint in Egypt
Reference: Sear 7956; Svoronos 1872
Certification: NGC Ancients VG 4529166-009
Diademed and draped bust of Cleopatra VII right.
ΚΛΕΟΠΑΤΡΑΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΗΣ, Ealge standing left on thunderbolt; in field to left, double cornucopia; to right, mark of value M (=40).
As 480 bronze drachms were the equivalent of one silver drachm at this time, the 80 drachmai piece would have circulated as an obol, and the 40 drachmai as a hemiobol.
JULIUS CAESAR 48BC Ancient Silver Roman Coin VENUS TROY Rome HERO AENEAS i63304
Authentic Ancient Coin of:
Julius Caesar – Roman General, Politician, Hero & Dictator
Silver Denarius 18mm (3.78 grams) military mint in North Africa, late 48-47 B.C.
Reference: RSC 12; Crawford 458/1; B.M.C. East, 31; Syd. 1013; B. 10
Diademed head of Venus right.
CAESAR, Aeneas walking left, carrying his father, Anchises and palladium
Venus was the patron-goddess of Julius Caesar, and also the goddess whom his family traces it’s decent from, and therefore she is pictured on his coins. In 46 B.C., Caesar dedicated a temple to Venus Genetrix in the Forum Julium.
The Julia gens traced it’s mythical descent also from Iulus, the son of Aenaeas. The story goes that Aeneas fled the burning ancient city of Troy, carrying his father on his back and the important statue called the palladium from that city. The Roman people, according to their mythology traced their decent from ancient Troy itself.
Anchises, being the mortal lover of Aphrodite (=Venus), having a son, Aeneas together, connects the mythical founders of Rome to their descent from the goddess Venus herself. A remarkable piece of ancient propaganda!
JULIUS CAESAR Lifetime 44BC Portrait Ancient Silver Roman Coin Venus NGC i58211
Authentic Ancient Coin of:
Julius Caesar – Roman Dictator –
Silver Denarius 17mm (3.62 grams) Struck at the mint of Rome February-March 44 B.C.
P. Sepullius Macer, moneyer
Reference: RSC 39; B. 50; B.M.C. 4173; Syd. 1074; Craw. 480/13; Alföldi Type IX, 98 (A49/R13); CRI 107d; Kestner 3688
Certification: NGC Ancients Ch F Strike: 4/5 Surface: 4/5 4374096-001
CAESAR DICT PERPETVO, laureate and veiled of Julius Caesar head right.
P . SEPVLLIVS MACER, Venus Victrix standing left, holding Victory and scepter, to right at feet, shield set on ground
On this coin, Julius Caesar breaks tradition of prohibiting the portraying of living individuals on Roman coins by showing his own portrait on it. It was considered a practice of Eastern Greek monarchs rather than the Republic that Rome was still supposed to be. This could have been seen as a clear sign of Julius Caesar styling himself after king issuing such a coin. This coin, along with other factors may have been what culminated in the assassination of Julius Caesar on March 15, 44 B.C. Venus was the patron-goddess of Julius Caesar, and also the goddess whom his family traces it’s decent from, and therefore she is pictured here holding the goddess of Victory. The interesting thing about this coin is that it features a lifetime portrait of Julius Caesar in the short time that he issued this coin before being assassinated. Being minted for only a short time February to March of 44 B.C., this is a historically significant coin and a must-have key piece for an ancient coin collection. The portrait of Julius Caesar was used by historical personages such as Mark Antony and Augustus (first Roman emperor) after his death as a tool to assume the political power and love the people had towards Caesar. The portrait coins that were issued during the lifetime of Julius Caesar, therefore, as they are scarcer in number than many of his other issues, and being minted for a very short time is something of great historical value as being from a key historical point that has echoed to our times and made Western Civilization the way it is today.
MARK ANTONY & OCTAVIAN AUGUSTUS as Triumvirs Ancient Silver Roman Coin i63324
Authentic Ancient Coin of:
Triumvirs
Mark Antony & Octavian Augustus
Silver Denarius 18mm (3.20 grams) Ephesus mint: Spring-early summer 41 B.C.
Reference: Mark Antony and Augustus 8; B. 51 and 96; B.M.C. 103; Craw. 517/2
Provenance: Coin Galleries May 25, 1988, No. 256
M . ANTON . IMP . AVG . III . VIR . R . P . C. M. BARBAT . Q . P., Bare head of Mark Antony right.
CAESAR IMP . PONT . III . VIR . R . P . C. – Bare head of Octavian Augustus right.
This moneyer was a friend of Julius Caesar. In B.C. 41 he was quaestor pro praetore to Antony in the East.
MARK ANTONY & OCTAVIA – Augustus Sister Silver Tetradrachm Roman Coin NGC i60110
Authentic Ancient Coin of:
Mark Antony
Mark Antony & His Wife Octavia (Sister of Augustus)
Silver Cistophoric Tetradrachm 26mm (11.32 grams) Ephesus mint, Summer-autumn 39 B.C.
Reference: RPC I 2202; CRI 263; Sydenham 1198; RSC 3
Certification: NGC Ancients VG 4375823-280
M ◦ ANTONIVS IMP ◦ COS ◦ DESIG ◦ ITER ◦ ET TERT, Conjoined busts of Antony, wearing ivy wreath, and Octavia, bareheaded and draped, right.
III ◦ VIR ◦ R ◦ P ◦ C ◦, Dionysus (Bacchus) standing left, holding cantharus and thyrsus, on cista between two snakes.
This type was likely struck to commemorate the marriage between Mark Antony and Octavia (sister of Augustus).
MARK ANTONY 33BC M. Junius Silanus Athens Ancient Silver Roman Coin NGC i61907
Authentic Ancient Coin of:
Mark Antony
Silver Denarius 18mm (2.89 grams) Mint moving with Antony, probably Athens, 33 B.C., under M. Junius Silanus
Reference: RSC 71. Babelon 97. C 71. Sydenham 1208. Sear Imperators 346. RBW 1830. Crawford 542/1
Certification: NGC Ancients VG 4529166-014
ANTON •AVG•IMP•III•COS•DES•III•IIV•R•P•C•, Bare head of Mark Antony right.
M•SILANVS•AVG Q•PRO•COS in two lines.
This issuer, Marcus Junius Silanus, was the step-brother of Brutus who murdered Julius Caesar. After the treaty of Misenum, in 39 B.C., Silanus went to Rome and then to the East to join Antony and was given the governorship of one of the provinces. It was during this period that he struck these coins.
MARK ANTONY Cleopatra Lover 32BC Ancient Silver Roman Coin LEGION X i63936
Item: i63936
Authentic Ancient Coin of:
Mark Antony
Silver Denarius 18mm (3.20 grams)
Struck at Actium 32-31 B.C. for Mark Antony’s X Legion
Reference: RSC 38; B.M.C. East, 202; Syd. 1228; Craw. 544/24
ANT AVG III VIR R P C, Praetorian galley under oar right, mast with streamers at prow.
Legionary aquila (eagle) between two signa (standards), LEG X below.
Roman military commander, friend of Julius Caesar, lover of Cleopatra and much more.
* Numismatic Note: This coin was struck by Antony for the use of his fleet and legions when he was preparing for the struggle with Octavian. These coins furnish an interesting record of the number of legions of which Antony’s army was composed. These denarii are of baser metal than the ordinary currency of the time and might be described as “money of necessity.”
ANTONIA Mark Antony Daughter Claudius Mother 41AD RARE Ancient Roman Coin i63291
Authentic Ancient Coin of:
Antonia – Augusta 37 & 41 A.D.
Bronze Dupondius 27mm (13.67 grams) Rome mint: 41-42 A.D. under emperor Claudius
Reference: RIC 92; Sear 5 #1902; Cohen 6
ANTONIA AVGVSTA, draped bust of Antonia right.
TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP S-C, Claudius, togate, standing left, holding simpulum.
Antonia was one of the two daughters of Augustus’ sister, Octavia and Mark Antony, both being named Antonia. Born in Athens in 36 B.C., she never got to know her father who committed suicide several years after divorcing her mother. She is the mother of Claudius and grandmother of Caligula.
JUBA II & Mark Antony Daughter CLEOPATRA SELENE Silver Greek Coin NGC i60101
Authentic Ancient Coin of:
Greek Kigdom of Mauretenia
Juba II – King 25 B.C. – 23 A.D.
Juba II & Cleopatra Selene
Silver Denarius 17mm (3.23 grams)
Reference: Sear GIC 6005; Müller III, 109,95
Certification: NGC Ancients XF 4375823-293
REX IVBA, Diademed head of Juba II right.
BACIΛICCA KΛЄOΠΑΤΡΑ, large star within crescent.
Mauretenia was a North African kingdom, the land of the Moors. It was annexed by the Romans on the death of Bocchus III in 33 B.C. However, eight years later Augustus restored the kingdom and placed on the throne his friend Juba II, the son of Juba I of Numidia who had lost his throne at the battle of Thapsus in 46 B.C., to Julius Caesar. Juba II was only an infant at the time of his father’s defeat and death. Being a cultured man, he introduced Hellenistic and Roman customs to his realm and built fine cities, such as Caesarea (formerly Iol) and Volubilis. He was the author of many books, which are now lost, and a distinguished patron of the arts. His first wife, Cleopatra Selene, was the daughter of Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII of Egypt. Juba’s second wife was Glaphyra, daughter of Archelaus, king of Cappadocia. After a long and prosperous reign he was eventually succeeded, in A.D. 23, by his son, with Clepatra Selene, Ptolemy. Following Ptolemy’s assassination seventeen years later by the unstable emperor Caligula, in 40 A.D., Mauretenaia was then divided into two parts, Tingitana and Caesariensis, both of which constituted Roman provinces and administered by procurators.
