Roman Silver & Bronze Coins - Roman Republic

Lot 4729    Session 16 (9.30am Friday 23rd November)    Roman Silver & Bronze Coins - Roman Republic

Estimate $1,500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $1,000

SEXTUS POMPEY, younger son of Pompey the Great, (died 35 B.C.), silver denarius, mint of Sicily, issued 42-40 B.C., (3.90 g), obv. bare head of Pompey the Great to right, jug behind, lituus before, traces of MAG PIVS IMP ITER 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, [CL]AS ET OR[AE] over [MARIT EX SC] in exergue, (S.1392, Sear Imperators 344, Cr.511/3a, Syd. 1344, C.Pompey 17). Areas of flat striking on obverse and reverse, however the portrait of Pompey remains forcefully rendered and the reverse is well centred, toned, nearly extremely 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.