Lot 2103

Description

Republic, Sextus Pompey, younger son of Pompey the Great, (died 35 B.C.), in the name of Q. Nasidius, silver denarius, mint Massalia, but moving with Sextus Pompey, issued 44-43 B.C., obv. bare head of Pompey the Great to right as Neptune, trident to right, NEPTVNI behind, rev. galley travelling to right with sail and rowers, stearsman seated in stern, star in upper field to left, Q NASIDIVS below, (S.343, Cr. 483/2, Syd. 1350). Attractive light colour, very fine/good very fine and rare.

Following the victory of Caesar over the Pompeians at Munda, in 45 B.C., Sextus rallied the survivors of his party and continued to harass the Caesarian generals in Further Spain. In summer of 44 B.C. a settlement was arranged between Sextus and the Senate, but suspecting the government's motives the Pompeian leader did not return to Italy. Instead, he moved his fleet to the port of Massalia (Gaul) the commander of the Pompeian fleet, Q. Nasidius, issued this attractive coinage honouring Sextus' father as Neptune, god of the sea. Later in the civil war Nasidius deserted to Mark Antony. Crawford notes only one obverse and two reverse dies used on this coinage. This issue is also important in portraying as a superb example of a Roman galley under sail, a type only rarely seen on coinage.