Collection Item – Teece Museum of Classical Antiquities

< Collection search
< Collection highlights

From:UC Teece Museum of Classical Antiquities

Name/TitleCoin, Silver Denarius

About this objectThis coin was struck by Quintus Pomepeius Rufus, the Grandson of both L. Cornelius Sulla and Q. Pompeius Rufus, to commemorate the previous consuls. Both of these consuls reigned during both the Social war and the First Mithridatic War.

Quintus Pompeius Rufus, son of Pompeius, married Sulla’s first daughter Cornelia Sulla, tying their families together. The coin itself displays the curule chair, which indicates a high office position, in this case the consulship of both of the moneyers' Grandfathers.

The lituus, or curved augural staff, illustrates that Sulla held the position of Augur. The augur held a prominent position as they would watch the signs from the flight paths of birds, this could indicate whether it was prudent to go to war or not.

The Arrow and Laurel branch are both attributed to Apollo and testify that Pompeius was a decemvir sacris faciundis. The Decemviri were appointed in 367 BC to take the place of the patrician duumviri (“two men”) who had had the responsibility over consultation of the Sibylline books and the Games of Apollo. They consisted of five Plebeians and five Patricians and was a lifetime position.

Date Made54 BC

PeriodRepublican

Place MadeItaly, Rome

Medium and MaterialsMetal, Silver.

Style and IconographyRoman

Inscription and MarksObverse. Above Q.POMPEI.Q.F/RVFVS In exergue on tablet, COS.

Reverse. Above SVLLA.COS. Below Q.POMPEI.RV(F).

TechniqueStriking (metalworking)

MeasurementsWeight 3.93g
Diameter 19mm
Height 2mm

Subject and Association KeywordsArt and religion

Subject and Association KeywordsNumismatics

Subject and Association KeywordsInscriptions, Latin

Named CollectionThe James Logie Memorial Collection, University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Credit LineDonated by M. K. Steven, 1996.

Object TypeExchange Media

Object number180.96.17