The Date and Scope of M. Antonius Creticus’ Command against the Pirates

This paper reconsiders the evidence for the Mediterranean-wide command held by M. Antonius Creticus between 75/74 and 72/71. It contends that the command was assigned in 75 rather than in 74, as is usually supposed. It then connects the extraordinary scope of the command with two coin-types (RRC 393/1a and RRC 397/1) - conventionally dated to 76/75 and 74 - symbolising, for the first time, Roman authority throughout the globe. This indicates that the Romans were optimistic that the assignment would (re)affirm their authority over the world and that Antonius had a more positive contemporary reputation than the surviving posthumous literature suggests.