Aureus of Pompey

Gnaeus Pompeius ('Pompey') was a pivotal figure in the events that led to the collapse of the Roman Republic. Born September 29, 106 BCE in the Italian province of Picenum, he was the son of Pompeius Strabo, a rich landowner who became a Roman senator and eventually consul in 89 BCE.

The first coin attributed to Pompey is an extremely rare gold aureus, probably issued at Rome on his triumph in 71 BCE. The extremely rare Roman gold coin features a female head in an elephant-skin headdress (personifying Africa) on the obverse and Pompey in a chariot on the reverse, celebrating his triumphs. Only five examples exist, with the best-known in the British Museum.

The inscription is simply MAGNVS (“the Great”). On the reverse, Pompey stands in a triumphal quadriga; a small figure riding the lead horse may be Pompey’s son, Cnaeus. The inscription PRO•COS abbreviates another of his titles, Proconsul. The aureus, valued at 25 silver denarii (a month’s pay for a soldier) was not a regular part of the currency at this time; it was only issued on special occasions.