Mark Antony, Silver Denarius

The Triumvirs, Mark Antony, Autumn 32-spring 31 BC, silver Denarius, Legionary type XI, Patrae(?) mint, Praetorian galley right, rev. aquila between two signa; LEG XI across lower field. 3.84g, 6h, (Crawford 544/25; CRI 362; Sydenham 1229; RSC 39). Centrally struck and good very fine.

Legio XI, later known as Legio XI Claudia, was a Roman legion with a long and distinguished history. It was most likely formed by Julius Caesar in 58 BC during his campaigns in Gaul, making it one of the oldest legions of the late Republic. The legion fought alongside Caesar during the Gallic Wars and later supported him during the civil war against Pompey. After Caesar's assassination in 44 BC, Legio XI became part of the forces of Mark Antony and Octavian and fought at the Battle of Philippi in 42 BC, where the armies of Caesar's assassins Brutus and Cassius were defeated. By 31 BC, the legion was serving under Mark Antony during his conflict with Octavian and was present around the time of the Battle of Actium. Following Antony's defeat, the legion was incorporated into Octavian's forces and eventually became known as Legio XI Claudia. It went on to serve the Roman Empire for centuries, fighting on several frontiers including the Rhine and Danube. The legion remained active into late antiquity, making Legio XI one of the Roman military units whose history stretched from the final decades of the Republic deep into the imperial period.