LYDIA, Tralles. Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. Æ (20mm, 5.86 g, 12h). Menandros, son of Parrhasios, magistrate. VF.

CNG Feature Auction 123
Lot: 392. Estimated: $ 400

Roman Provincial, Bronze, Coin-in-Hand Video

Sold For $ 350. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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LYDIA, Tralles. Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. Æ (20mm, 5.86 g, 12h). Menandros, son of Parrhasios, magistrate. Bare head of Vedius Pollio right; uncertain object behind / Laureate head of Zeus right. Kurth 136; RPC I 2635; SNG Copenhagen 688; BMC 76-8. Earthen brown patina, off center obverse. VF.

Ex Savoca Online Auction 29 (30 December 2018), lot 2018.

An equestrian and confidant of Augustus, Vedius Pollio seems to have had an important administrative career, serving in the restoration of a proconsular government in Asia and possibly even in the refoundation of Tralles as Caesarea. His portrait appears on bronze coins of Tralles, highly unusual for anyone other than the emperor or members of his family, and indicates he served as the equivalent of a proconsul, possibly circa 31-30 BC. But his personal cruelty, especially toward slaves, undid his friendship with Augustus and made him infamous to later generations. Pollio is said to have kept a pool of lampreys explicitly for the purpose of executing slaves who displeased him. During a banquet honoring Augustus, a cup-bearer broke a goblet and Pollio ordered him thrown to the lampreys. Augustus was so appalled, he pardoned the slave and ordered all of Pollio’s glassware smashed.

The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 123 lots will be determined during the live online sale that will be held on 23-24 May 2023. This lot is in Session Two, which will begin 23 May 2023 at 2 PM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.

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