The Pompeians. Cnaeus Pompey Jr. Summer 46-Spring 45 BC. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.85 g, 7h). Corduba mint; Marcus Poblicius, legatus pro praetore. VF.

Electronic Auction 587
Lot: 660. Estimated: $ 300

Roman Republican, Silver

Sold For $ 375. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Go to Live

The Pompeians. Cnaeus Pompey Jr. Summer 46-Spring 45 BC. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.85 g, 7h). Corduba mint; Marcus Poblicius, legatus pro praetore. Helmeted head of Roma right within bead and reel border / Hispania standing right, shield on her back, holding two spears over shoulder and presenting palm frond to Pompeian soldier standing left on prow, armed with sword. Crawford 469/1c; CRI 48; Sydenham 1035; RSC 1 (Pompey the Great); RBW –. Attractive cabinet toning, some die rust, banker’s mark on reverse. VF.

From the CLA Collection, purchased from Pegasi Numismatics, June 1996.

The elder son of Pompey the Great, Gnaeus Pompey the Younger took up the banner of Republican resistance to Julius Caesar after his father’s defeat and death. He was born in 75 BC to Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, Rome’s leading general, and Mutia Tertia, his third wife. Unlike his more charming younger brother, Sextus Pompey, Gnaeus lacked his father’s brilliance and had a vicious streak which disturbed his father’s supporters. When Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon in 49 BC to seize control of the state, Pompey and both his sons fled Rome along with most of the Senate. The elder Pompey placed Gnaeus in charge of a fleet summoned from Egypt that sank several of Caesar’s ships as they attempted to land troops and supplies in Greece. Despite this victory, Caesar defeated Pompey at Pharsalus and pursued him to Egypt, where the old general met his end. Gnaeus and Sextus at first fled to Africa, where they helped Cato and Metellus Scipio raise a new army. Again defeated by Caesar at Thapsus in 46 BC, the Pompey brothers took ship to Spain, where they joined forces with Titus Labienus and raised yet another army. Once again, Caesar pursued. The battle of Munda on March 17, 45 BC was an extremely close-run affair that could have gone either way, but a timely cavalry charge led by one of Caesar’s allies won the day. As at Thapsus, Gnaeus and Sextus managed to escape. But after they parted ways, Gnaeus’ ship was chased down by Caesar’s fleet, and Gnaeus was captured and summarily executed. Sextus managed to give the Caesarians the slip and survived to resist the rule of Caesar and his successors for another decade.

Closing Date and Time: 21 May 2025 at 13:39:40 ET.

All winning bids are subject to a 20% buyer’s fee.