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DOI Artikel:Kopij, Kamil: Propaganda on the coinage related to Pompey the Great
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22229#0054
KAMIL KOPIJ
The reverse of the coin represents a commander in a ąuadriga, during a tri-
umphal procession. Over the carriage, there is an image of the flying Victory. In
her right hand, the deity holds a laurel wreath for the victor. This may be Victoria
Pompeiana, in the vein of Sulla’s personal Victory. Next to the chariot, we can see
the aforementioned horseman accompanying the triumphant commander. There is
no doubt about what the image represents. It is Pompey’s triumph. The coin was
minted in commemoration of this particular event as well as of his yictories. Indeed,
it is hard to imagine the viewer seeing only the ceremony itself, without recalling
the generaTs achievements for which he had been awarded his triumph.
It is notable that this is the first known representation of the triumphator, not
Jupiter, accompanied by the flying Victory. Possibly, the deity flying above should
be regarded as the generaTs constant companion, just as, later on, she would be
enumerated as one of the emperor’s companions (comites)25. However, there is no
traditional representation of a slave who was to accompany the triumphator, hold-
ing a wreath over his head and repeating: “Look behind you! Remember that you
are a man!”26 * Such images can be found on the so-called cup of Boscoreale and
Trajan’s bas-relief of Praeneste21. On the other hand, there are many images where
the triumphator is accompanied by Victory and this tradition apparently originated
with Pompey, as it is the first known representation of this type.
Victory on the ąuadriga, accompanied by Jupiter, can be seen on many Re-
publican-era coins. A commonly held view, based on the accounts by Pliny and
Livius, is that the triumphator was dressed as Jupiter Maximus Optimus and had his
face painted red to resemble the statuę of the god at the Capitoline tempie28. Those
references may have been Pompey’s conscious choice, even though it seems morę
likely that the appearance of Victory was an expression of her “protection” over the
generał yictorious in his campaigns.
The representation is accompanied by an inscription PRO-COS, referring to
the character of Pompey’s authority during his yictorious campaign. It was one of
the reasons why Crawford had ruled out the possibility of the first triumph as the
datę of the coinage. At the time of the African campaign, Pompey had not held the
proconsular power29.
25 On Victory as emperors’ constant companion, see J. R. FEARS, “The Theology of Victory at Romę:
Approaches and Problems”, Aufstieg undNiedergang der rómischen Welt II. 17.2, p. 745 [736-826].
26 Tertullian Apologeticus 33.4, “Q. Septimi Florentis Tertulliani Apologeticus”, trans. A. Souter, Cambridge 1917.
21 BEARD, The Roman Triumph, p. 88.
28 Liv. 10.7.10; Plin. HN. 23.36; FEARS, “The Theology...”, pp. 781-782; BEARD, The Roman Triumph,
pp.219-256.
29 Gran Lic. 36.2; BOAK, “The Extraordinary Commands...”, pp. 3A; VAN OOTEGHEM, Pompee..., pp.
58-59; BADIAN, Foreign Clientelae..., p. 270; RRC, p. 83; LEACH, Pompey the Great, p. 28; A. KEAVENEY,
“Young Pompey...”, pp. 122-123; SEAGER, Pompey the Great..., p. 27; BEARD, The Roman Triumph, p. 20.
The reverse of the coin represents a commander in a ąuadriga, during a tri-
umphal procession. Over the carriage, there is an image of the flying Victory. In
her right hand, the deity holds a laurel wreath for the victor. This may be Victoria
Pompeiana, in the vein of Sulla’s personal Victory. Next to the chariot, we can see
the aforementioned horseman accompanying the triumphant commander. There is
no doubt about what the image represents. It is Pompey’s triumph. The coin was
minted in commemoration of this particular event as well as of his yictories. Indeed,
it is hard to imagine the viewer seeing only the ceremony itself, without recalling
the generaTs achievements for which he had been awarded his triumph.
It is notable that this is the first known representation of the triumphator, not
Jupiter, accompanied by the flying Victory. Possibly, the deity flying above should
be regarded as the generaTs constant companion, just as, later on, she would be
enumerated as one of the emperor’s companions (comites)25. However, there is no
traditional representation of a slave who was to accompany the triumphator, hold-
ing a wreath over his head and repeating: “Look behind you! Remember that you
are a man!”26 * Such images can be found on the so-called cup of Boscoreale and
Trajan’s bas-relief of Praeneste21. On the other hand, there are many images where
the triumphator is accompanied by Victory and this tradition apparently originated
with Pompey, as it is the first known representation of this type.
Victory on the ąuadriga, accompanied by Jupiter, can be seen on many Re-
publican-era coins. A commonly held view, based on the accounts by Pliny and
Livius, is that the triumphator was dressed as Jupiter Maximus Optimus and had his
face painted red to resemble the statuę of the god at the Capitoline tempie28. Those
references may have been Pompey’s conscious choice, even though it seems morę
likely that the appearance of Victory was an expression of her “protection” over the
generał yictorious in his campaigns.
The representation is accompanied by an inscription PRO-COS, referring to
the character of Pompey’s authority during his yictorious campaign. It was one of
the reasons why Crawford had ruled out the possibility of the first triumph as the
datę of the coinage. At the time of the African campaign, Pompey had not held the
proconsular power29.
25 On Victory as emperors’ constant companion, see J. R. FEARS, “The Theology of Victory at Romę:
Approaches and Problems”, Aufstieg undNiedergang der rómischen Welt II. 17.2, p. 745 [736-826].
26 Tertullian Apologeticus 33.4, “Q. Septimi Florentis Tertulliani Apologeticus”, trans. A. Souter, Cambridge 1917.
21 BEARD, The Roman Triumph, p. 88.
28 Liv. 10.7.10; Plin. HN. 23.36; FEARS, “The Theology...”, pp. 781-782; BEARD, The Roman Triumph,
pp.219-256.
29 Gran Lic. 36.2; BOAK, “The Extraordinary Commands...”, pp. 3A; VAN OOTEGHEM, Pompee..., pp.
58-59; BADIAN, Foreign Clientelae..., p. 270; RRC, p. 83; LEACH, Pompey the Great, p. 28; A. KEAVENEY,
“Young Pompey...”, pp. 122-123; SEAGER, Pompey the Great..., p. 27; BEARD, The Roman Triumph, p. 20.