MAGNUS.
Mac-;. Prus. Imp. ITER. The head of Pompey the Great.) (PRiEF. CLAS. ET. ORAE. MARIT. Ex. S. C. Aref2tune standing with one foot upon a shift ; on each side the pious brothers carry off their parents. On another coin, Scylla, surrounded with dogs, striking around her with an uplifted rudder. Plate CCCCXXI. Fig. 9, 10.
After the death of Pompey the Great, his sons Cneius and Scxtus continued the war on the part of the republic, but were vanquished by Cmsar at Munda. Sextus alone escaped, and concealed himself till the death of Cxsar, when he again came forward, fitted out a fleet, and so annoyed Mark Anthony and Octavian, that they were at length compelled to admit him into their al liance, and to give up to him Sicily, with the title PrCe rectus classis et ore maritime ex S. C'.
The obverse exhibits the head of the great Pompey ; but the inscription relates to his son Sextus. He de rived the name of illagnus from his father ; that of Pius he adopted, under the pretext that he made war upon the enemies of his father, and afforded protection to lose Roman citizens who were proscribed by the tri amvirate. Hence the figure of the pious brothers.
lie assumed the title of Imperator ITEnum, in conse quence of his twofold victory over his antagonists. The figure of Neptune alludes to his naval victories over Octavian ; and he publicly proclaimed himself as he son of Neptune. To commemorate his victory over Dctavian in the Straits of Sicily, he caused the figure af the monster Scylla, as above noticed, to bc struck on us coins.
Awroxres.
The history of this celebrated man is well known. rhe inscription on his coins is generally the following: ANTonius Aucur IIIVIR. Reipublicx Constituen dae. In the character of Augur, he is sometimes repre sented with his head veiled, and holding in his hand the LITUUS, or Augur's staff. The letters II I VR. R. P. C. allude to the triumvirate of Anthony, Octavian, and Lc pidus.