ON THE TWO NUMISMATIC PLATES

...the inscription on coin number 23 in the same place shows that it belongs to Caesarea in Palestine, where one reads "Otedius Pollion of the Caesareans" original Greek: ΟΤΗΔΙΟΣ ΠΩΛΛΙΩΝ ΚΑΙΣΑΡΕΩΝ next to the head of Augustus, at whose neck is a quiver. This same Temple is seen on another coin of the Caesareans, cited by Vaillant in his work on Augustus, page 4, with the same name; for it is inscribed "Menander Parrhasius" original Greek: ΜΕΝΑΝΔΡΟΣ ΠΑΡΡΑΣΙΟΣ. And at the head, which is that of Augustus and is bare without a laurel wreath, it reads "Pollion, son of Cupedius, of the Caesareans" original Greek: ΠΟΛΛΙΩΝ ΚΟΤΠΕΔΙΟΥ ΚΑΙΣΑΡΕΩΝ. Finally, Spanhemius himself, in his latest and larger edition on pages 54 and 55, likewise cites a coin of Augustus, which features the head of that Caesar on one side with the letters "Pollion Cupedius of the Caesareans" original Greek: ΠΟΛΛΙΩΝ ΚΟΤΠΕΔΙΟΣ ΚΑΙΣΑΡΕΩΝ. On the other side is a similar bearded head, as in this small coin we are explaining, with the letters "Menander, son of Parrhasius" original Greek: ΜΕΝΑΝΔΡΟΣ ΠΑΡΑΣΙΟΥ. All these coins so clearly belong to Augustus himself; thus, there is no reason why we should strip this one from Augustus and award it to Ovid The Roman poet Ovidius Naso, were it not for the letters "NASO" original: ΝΑΣΩΝ. Indeed, I would dare to wager any stake that these letters do not actually exist on the coin in that way, or that they were carved into an otherwise ancient coin by a modern forgery—a trick all too familiar to dishonest men. It appears the last two ancient letters of "POLLION" remained, while the rest of the word "POLLI" was so altered that the letter Λ (Lambda) was changed into Σ (Sigma), and the next Λ received a small line in the middle to become an Α (Alpha). Then, after the first letters ΠΟ were erased, the third Λ remained but received a stroke on its side to become an Ν (Nu). Thus, Ovid Naso emerged as a new guest on the coins in place of Vedius Pollio. Both that Menander, son of Parrhasius, and Vedius Pollio, son of Cupedius, served as magistrates of the Caesareans at one and the same time and minted coins for Caesar Augustus. They were not accustomed to doing this for the private citizen Ovid, even though he flourished in Caesar’s friendship; nor would they have dared after the poet was struck by Caesar’s lightning A metaphor for Ovid's exile by Augustus; nor, finally, could they have done so after his death to recall the memory of the Priest of all the Muses and Graces, since they performed their duties as magistrates of Caesarea while Augustus was still alive.

Num. 12. This very rare small coin now appears for the first time from our Museum; for no one before has ever displayed the face of King Aretas Aretas III or IV, Kings of Nabataea in such a fortunate state of antiquity. I had resolved to reserve it so that it might one day be published more elaborately alongside other precious remains of ancient coinage kept in our Museum and those of other Belgians; but I chose to print it here for the sake of Flavius Josephus, because, as can be seen from the Index, Aretas plays a large part in his history. On the front side, it has the head of the King encircled by a diadem; on the reverse, a female figure standing, holding a shallow offering bowl patera in her right hand and a spear in her left, with the inscription "Of King Aretas" original Greek: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΡΕΤΟΥ. This small coin is made of bronze, is extremely rare, and is very well preserved.

Num. 13. M. SCAVR. AED. CVR. Marcus Scaurus, Curule Aedile and at the bottom REX ARETAS King Aretas. Transversely, by decree of the Senate original: ex s. c. is a Camel, at whose feet the King, kneeling, proffers a branch. On the other side P. HYPSAE AED. CVR. Publius Hypsaeus, Curule Aedile and at the bottom C. HYPSAEVS COS. PREIVER. CAPTV. Caius Hypsaeus, Consul, capture of Privernum. Jupiter is seen in a four-horse chariot quadriga at full gallop, holding a thunderbolt in his right hand and reins in his left; at the bottom, a scorpion is visible.

Those things pertaining to the explanation of this denarius can be sought from the commentators on Roman Families, Ursinus and Vaillant; however, regarding how much this denarius refers to the illustration of Josephus's history, it deserves to be inspected in the Antiquities of the Jews, Book XIV, Chapter V, page 691, where we read that Aretas, King of Arabia, bought off the war for three hundred talents from Scaurus, who was himself quite eager for peace. Nearly the same things are read in The Jewish War, Book I, Chapter VIII, page 69, where Aldrich also calls this coin to witness.

"When Scaurus," he says, "had made an expedition against Petra, the royal city of Arabia, and was laying waste the surrounding countryside because the approach to it was very difficult, and his army was suffering from hunger, Antipater, by order of Hyrcanus, provided him with grain from Judea and other necessary things. And Scaurus sent an envoy to Aretas, since he was his guest, to persuade

him to buy off the devastation of his land with money, and he himself became the guarantor for three hundred talents. On these conditions, Scaurus ended the war, no less because he himself wished it than because Aretas desired the same." Elsewhere, however, he writes thus:

Meanwhile Scaurus, having entered Arabia, was prevented by the difficulty of the terrain from approaching Petra; he laid waste to everything around Pella. However, having done this, he was reconciled to his troubles. For the army was suffering from hunger, and to alleviate it, Hyrcanus contributed by sending necessary provisions through Antipater. Scaurus also delegated Antipater to Aretas, as they were acquaintances, so that Aretas might buy peace from him with money. And the Arabian was persuaded to give three hundred talents, and on these conditions, Scaurus led his army out of Arabia.

Num. 14. Many coins record Judea captured by Vespasian and Titus, with several types and inscriptions minted by both Greeks and Romans in their honor, as well as in honor of Domitian. Therefore, only its rarity and its distinguished inscription recommend this coin, which we give here as yet unpublished from our Museum. On it is seen the laurelled head of Domitian, with the letters DO..... CAESAR. On the other side, Victory, pressing her foot upon a globe, writes upon a shield hanging from a palm tree; in the circumference, "Captured Judea" is designated by these very Greek letters: "Of the Capture of Judea" original Greek: ΙΟΥΔΑΙΑΣ ΕΑΛΩΣΙΑΣ.

Num. 15. I would not have added this small coin, even though it is not among the common ones, were it not that the exceptional art and beauty shining forth in this perfectly preserved denarius added much grace to it. It has the heads of Mark Antony the Triumvir and his brother, the Consul Lucius Antony, with the inscriptions: L. ANTONI COS. & M. ANT. IMP. AVG. III VIR. R. P. C. M. NERVA PROQ. P. Lucius Antony, Consul; and Mark Antony, Emperor, Augur, Triumvir for the Regulation of the Republic; Marcus Nerva, Pro-Quaestor and Propraetor.

Herod the Great was made "Great" through the friendship of Mark Antony, to whom he remained faithful to the very end, and he built a tower called the Antonia in his honor. Indeed, many coins of Mark Antony exist in the Antonia family collection in Vaillant, which have some connection to Jewish affairs, the History of Josephus, and the defeated Aristobulus; but we do not wish to be weighed down by numbers. We are content to have represented the faces of Mark and Lucius Antony, since the merits of both toward the Jews were extraordinary, as the Decrees of the Roman People show; in which the names of Mark and Lucius Antony are praised in Antiquities, Book XIV, Chapter X, § 13 and § 17, pages 708 and 709.

Num. 16. The name of Pompey was great in the East, where he performed the greatest deeds by arms and found many favoring his side in the Civil War. Josephus rightly praises not only other virtues of this Pompey but also his restraint, as he took nothing from the sacred money and ornaments of the Temple of Jerusalem, in Antiquities, Book XIV, Chapter IV, page 690: "The religion of the temple, previously inaccessible to both feet and eyes, was not slightly harmed. For Pompey and not a few of his companions entered into the sanctuary and saw those things which it was lawful for no other mortal to see, except the high priests alone. But although there were within the golden table, and the sacred candlestick, and the pouring bowls paterae for libations, and a great force of spices, and besides, in the treasuries, sacred money amounting to two thousand talents, he touched none of these out of piety; rather, in this matter, he conducted himself in a manner consistent with his own virtue. On the following day, having ordered the temple guardians to cleanse the shrine and to offer to God what the law commanded, he restored the high priesthood to Hyrcanus (partly because of his other services to him, and partly because he had prohibited the Jewish inhabitants from aiding Aristobulus) and struck the authors of the war with the axe." These same things are nearly repeated in Book I of The Jewish War, Chapter VII, page 68. Therefore, I thought it would not be unpleasant to depict his countenance—which I believe comes very close to a true likeness of his venerable face—from a perfectly preserved denarius in my possession. On it, Quintus Nasidius (whose name is read written in the ancient manner Q. NASIDIV.) is depicted below a ship with expanded sail and rowers, while to the fleet of Sextus Pompey...