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November Auction 2015 13 November 2015
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REPUBLIC, SILVER DENARIUS OF SEXTUS POMPEIUS, Sicily, ca. 37-36 BC, 3.604g, 5h. Crawford 511/2b. Hirmer 104. Lightly toned. Masterfully executed and finely detailed portrait. Reverse slightly off-center. Virtually as struck and almost Fdc
Sextus called himself the son of Neptune, and was the only moneyer to give him a diadem. Such a claim to divine ancestry was not unusual in these days when Venus and Hercules descendants were also fighting for control of Rome. Octavian, however, could not let Sextus relationship with Neptune go unchallenged, but without success, and ancient sources report this jostling for divine favors. Here's why, after his defeat in 38, Octavian yanked Neptune out of the procession in the Circus Maximus explaining that he will win the war against Sextus, whatever the god may do!
Sextus called himself the son of Neptune, and was the only moneyer to give him a diadem. Such a claim to divine ancestry was not unusual in these days when Venus and Hercules descendants were also fighting for control of Rome. Octavian, however, could not let Sextus relationship with Neptune go unchallenged, but without success, and ancient sources report this jostling for divine favors. Here's why, after his defeat in 38, Octavian yanked Neptune out of the procession in the Circus Maximus explaining that he will win the war against Sextus, whatever the god may do!