Dr Adrian Carr Collection of Imperatorial Roman Coins

Lot 4731    Session 17 (11.30am Friday 25 November) Terry Naughton Colle    Dr Adrian Carr Collection of Imperatorial Roman Coins

Estimate $300
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $200

CILICIA, uncertain mint, Gaius Sosius, Imperator? (c.38 B.C.), AE 20, (8.54 g), obv. bare head to right (of Octavian), rev. fiscus, sella, quaestoria and hasta, Q below, (S.-, Sear Imperators 958 [suggest 30 B.C from an uncertain Syrian mint], RPC I 5410, Laffaille 324, Grant, FITA p.13, AMNG 228). Very fine, glossy dark patina, rare.

Ex Dr. Adrian Carr Collection and purchased in 2006 from Aegean Numismatics on VCoins.
While previously attributed to a Macedonian mint with a portrait of Brutus (Friedlander) or Caesar (Grant), RPC presented a case for a Cilician or Syrian origin, supported by find data, and a portrait of Octavian(?), although the portrait is quite different than those of Octavian from other mints. Issues of similar portrait style, perhaps by the same die-cutter includes the Princeps Felix coinage, RPC I 4082-3, from Cilicia. CNG and the RPC supplement now attribute this type to Sosius.
Lysanias was the ruler of the Kingdom centred on Chalkis in Coele-Syria; a district of southern Syria with Phoenicia to the west and Palestine to the south. His father Ptolemy ruled Chalkis from 80 to 40 BC. Lysanias ruled from 40 to 36 BC and was put to death by Antony and the Kingdom given to Cleopatra. Despite this the kingdom was restored to his son Zenodoros 30 - 20 B.C., following the defeat of Antony & Cleopatra, although he, in turn, subsequently lost part of his kingdom to Herod the Great in 24 B.C.
Both sets of Cilician or Syrian issues portray Sosius, a leading general of Mark Antony. Sosius was Quaestor (symbolized on this coinage with a Q and the symbols of the office) in 39 B.C. The island of Zacynthus (Pelopponesus), a fleet station of Antony's, issued coins in the name of C SOSIVS Q (RPC 1290) etc. The first of these issues coincides with dating of this coin. Note that both include the title Q.
According to the Treaty of Brundisium, Antony and Octavian agreed that when neither of them was consul, one of each of their supporters would be Consul Designate. Sosius became Consul Designate for 32 BC. He was governor of Syria in 38 BC. Antony supported Herod the Great against his rival Antigonus. Sosius commanded the Roman forces in support of Herod's claim, as noted by Josephus. Sosius captured the island and town of Araus in 38 BC and Jerusalem in July of 37 BC, for which he was celebrated Imperator. Josephus notes that he was about to allow the soldiers to loot the fallen city and slaughter its inhabitants, when Herod intervened. Herod shrewdly asked, if the Romans, by emptying the city of money and men, had a mind to leave him to become king of a desert? Herod paid the troops a donative instead. Officers received a larger gift. Sosius himself received a most royal bounty. Sosius gave the defeated king the feminine name Antigona. He imprisoned him for execution by Antony later.
In 36 B.C., Sosius assisted Octavian and Agrippa against Sextus Pompey and afterward probably stayed in Rome, where he celebrated a triumph in 34 B.C. He was consul along with Domitianus Ahenobarbus in 32 B.C. During his consulship, he rebuilt the Temple of Apollo, which had been constructed in 431 B.C. He introduced a measure in the Senate to censure Octavian, but this was vetoed by a tribune. He fled Octavian and Rome with some 300 senators. At Actium in 31 BC, Sosius commanded the left wing of Antony's naval forces. This wing of heavy ships entered the battle first, but was overwhelmed by the smaller, faster ships of Agrippa, commander of Octavian's fleet. Meanwhile, Cleopatra, then Antony's lover escaped through the opening created by the movement. Sosius fought on, surrendered and was amazingly spared by Octavian.