Denarius, Africa (Utica ?) 47-46 BC, AR 4.07 g. Q.METEL PIVS Laureate head of Jupiter r. Rev. SCIPIO
Elephant walking r. Sydenham 1046. Babelon Caecilia 47. Sear Imperators 45. Crawford 459/1.
Perfectly struck and centred on a full flan with an enchanting
iridescent tone, good extremely fine 1’500
Ex Spink sale 5014, 2005, 366.
Despite his noble lineage and strong family connections, Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio was generally detested by
his contemporaries. His connection by marriage to Pompey the Great earned him the consulship in 52 B.C., with the price
that he target Julius Caesar through actions in the senate. Consequently, it was Scipio who introduced the legislation
calling for Caesar to relinquish his command in Gaul and to disband his legions.
When Caesar ignored the demand and crossed the Rubicon in January of 49, Scipio and Pompey were among those who
fled Italy. Scipio then took up his promised governorship in Syria, where he gathered two legions for the Pompeian cause.
Scipio was present at Pharsalus, where he commanded Pompey’s center, and when all was lost at that monumental battle,
he fled to North Africa to assume supreme command of the Pompeian refugees gathering at Utica. During this period
Scipio struck his attractive and historical denarii, and a limited number of aurei. When Caesar was finally able to confront
the Pompeians in 46, he roundly defeated them at Utica and Thapsus, after which Scipio committed suicide..
