Lot 2096

Description

Sextus Pompey, younger son of Pompey the Great, (died 35 B.C.), silver denarius, mint of Sicily, issued 42-40 B.C., (3.754 grams), obv. bare head of Pompey the Great to right, jug behind, lituus before, MAG P[IVS 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, CLAS ET OR[AE] over M[ARIT] EX SC, (S.1392 [£600 VF], Cr. 511/3a, Syd. 1344). Bankers mark on the obverse head, off centred obverse and reverse, otherwise 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 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.