About this artwork
The front (obverse) of this coin portrays the head of Pompey the Great, facing right. Priestly instruments, a praefericulum (tall vase with handle) and lituus (staff), appear to left and right. On the back (reverse), Anapius and Amphinomus carry their parents; between them, Neptune stands with his foot on a ship prow.
Coins were an efficient form of publicity, particularly when new rulers needed to legitimize their succession or strengthen their reputation. After Pompey’s defeat by Julius Caesar, his sons tried to revitalize their father’s reputation and thereby enhance their own stature by issuing coins with Pompey’s portrait, such as this one.
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Status
- Currently Off View
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Department
- Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
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Culture
- Ancient Roman
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Title
- Denarius (Coin) Portraying Pompey the Great
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Place
- Sicily (Minted in)
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Date
- 42 BCE–40 BCE
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Medium
- Silver
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Inscriptions
- Obverse: MAG PIVS IMP [ITER] Reverse: PRÆF (above) CLAS ET ORÆ / MARIT EX S C
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Dimensions
- Diam.: 2 cm (13/16 in.)
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Credit Line
- Gift of Martin A. Ryerson
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Reference Number
- 1922.4851
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IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/96048/manifest.json
Extended information about this artwork
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.