Q. Pompeius Rufus was one of the moneyers for the year 54 BC. He later served as Tribunis Plebis in 52 BC.
Gens Pompeia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome, first appearing in history during the second century BC, and frequently occupying the highest offices of the Roman state from then until imperial times. The first of the Pompeii to obtain the consulship was Quintus Pompeius in 141 BC, but by far the most illustrious of the gens was Gnaeus Pompeius, surnamed Magnus, a distinguished general under the dictator Sulla, who became a member of the First Triumvirate, together with Caesar and Crassus.
The first branch of gens Pompeia to appear at Rome acquired the surname Rufus, signifying someone with red hair, but it was only passed down through one line. The surname Bithynicus is also thought to have belonged to a branch of this family, although it is not certain how the name, a reference to Bithynia, was acquired, or precisely when.
Gens Pompeia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome, first appearing in history during the second century BC, and frequently occupying the highest offices of the Roman state from then until imperial times. The first of the Pompeii to obtain the consulship was Quintus Pompeius in 141 BC, but by far the most illustrious of the gens was Gnaeus Pompeius, surnamed Magnus, a distinguished general under the dictator Sulla, who became a member of the First Triumvirate, together with Caesar and Crassus.
The first branch of gens Pompeia to appear at Rome acquired the surname Rufus, signifying someone with red hair, but it was only passed down through one line. The surname Bithynicus is also thought to have belonged to a branch of this family, although it is not certain how the name, a reference to Bithynia, was acquired, or precisely when.
Obverse: curule chair, arrow left, laurel branch right; Q·POMPEI·Q·F / RVFVS / COS
Reverse: curule chair, lituus left, wreath right; SVLLA·COS / Q·POMPEI·RVF
Diameter:
17 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 4.1 g
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 4.1 g
Coin commemorates two moneyer's grandfathers. Q. Pompeius Rufus, member of the college (collegium) with priestly duties - decimviri sacris faciundis (obverse), and L. Cornelius Sulla, Augur (reverse), held consularship together in 88 BC.
Crawford 434/2, SRCV I 400, RSC I Pompeia 5, Cornelia 49, Sydenham 909