Ancient Roman Silver & Bronze Coins

Lot 3502    Session 11 (9.30am Thursday)    Ancient Roman Silver & Bronze Coins

Estimate $1,200
Bid at live.noble.com.au

SEXTUS POMPEY, younger son of Pompey the Great, (died 35 B.C.), silver denarius, mint of Sicily, issued 42-40 B.C., (3.70 g), obv. bare head of Pompey the Great to right, jug behind, lituus before, MAG PIVS I[MP ITE]R around, rev. Neptune standing to left with right foot on prow, holding aplustre, between the Catanean brothers Anapias and Amphinomus, each of whom bears a parent on his shoulders, PRAEF above, [CLA]S E[T ORAE over MARIT EX SC] in exergue, (S.1392, Cr. 511/3a, Syd. 1344, C. Pompey 17). Areas of flat striking on obverse and reverse, off centred on the reverse, however the portrait of Pompey remains forcefully rendered, otherwise very fine and rare.

In 42 B.C. Sextus Pompey defeated the attempt of Octavian's general Salvidienus to dislodge him from his Sicilian stronghold whereupon his troops proclaimed him the 'Son of Neptune', the theme adopted for his Sicilian coinage. The title Prefect of the Fleet (praefectus classis) was that which had been bestowed by the Senate in April of 43 B.C., prior to Sextus being outlawed and eventually proscribed by the triumviral government. This issue is important in portraying a portrait of Pompey the Great.