M. Antonius Polemo 34/3-31 BC (Kov 298)

M. Antonius Polemo, later Polemo I of Pontus, was made dynast of Iconium in Lycaonia (Strabo 12.8.16) by Mark Anthony in 39 BC as a reward for his stand against the Parthians in the previous year. Polemo continued his support of Antony in the ill-fated Parthian War of 36 BC, during which he was captured and held for ransom, which Antony paid. For Polemo's faithful support Anthony added Armenia Minor to Polemo's holdings (Cass. Dio 49.33.2). This dual kingship is indicated by Polemo's use of the title basileus megas "Great King" on the coin below. After Antony's loss at Actium, Octavian removed Polemo from Armenia Minor to make him king of the Regnum Bosporanorum.

The coin assigned here to Polemo's reign in Armenia Minor has previously been attributed to M. Antoninus Polemo of Olba (Thonemann 2004, 147) or to Polemo II of Pontus as appointed by Nero in AD 60. The latter was based on Seyrig's (1969, 46) association of the "oriental" title "Great King" with Armenia and the "Polemo" who received Armenia Minor from Nero (Tacitus Ann. 14.26). However, Barrett has pointed out that the name Polemo is only as an emendation of the corrupt text of Ann. 14.26, and the transfer of sovereignty of border territories to neighboring kings does not make sense in the case of Polemo. Thus, the attribution of the coin of Great King M. Antoninus Polemo can be reconsidered.

Julia Mamaea, who is now identifiable as Polemo's first(?) wife, becomes more interesting in the scheme of royal marriage-making among Roman client kingdoms. Unfortunately, nothing is known of her beyond the supposition that she is connected to the royal house of Emesa. There is no indication of mint on this coinage, but the style and fabric are compatible with Cilician coins of this period.

Kovacs, Frank L. “Armenian Coinage in the Classical Period” CNS 10, Classical Numismatic Group, Lancaster, 2016, pp. 50.