Roman Imperatorial - Gaius Sosius: Quaestor, Kingmaker, General Of Antony

Picked this little gem up on the cheap from the middle of the lineup in one of Savoca's "junk" auctions.



(Note that attribution is tenative, but the most commonly accepted by scholars)

Roman Imperatorial, Eastern Provinces (Syria)
Gaius Sosius, Quaestor
c. 30s BC
AE20
Obv: Bare head right
Rev: Hasta (Spear), Quaestor's stool, Fiscus (money pot), Q below

Gaius Sosius served as Quaestor in 66 BC and Praetor in 49 BC. He joined the Optimates against Julius Caesar, but soon surrendered and was pardoned. After Caesar's death, he sided with Mark Antony and was given the governorship of the province of Syria in 38 BC. During his tenure, he supported Herod the Great in his bid for the throne of Judaea, and installed him as client king after the overthrow of Antigonus II. After this, he assisted Octavian and Antony in their war against Sextus Pompey in 36 BC. Sosius was awarded a triumph in 34 BC for subjecting Judaea as a Roman client kingdom, and served as Consul in 32 BC. Upon the outbreak of the civil war between Octavian and Antony, Sosius fled to the east, where he was made fleetmaster over some of Antony's ships. He was defeated by Agrippa, but managed to flee, where he commanded the left wing of Antony's ships at the Battle of Actium. He surrendered after Antony and Cleopatra fled the battle, and was granted a full pardon. He reappears in 17 BC as one of the officiants of the Ludi Saeculares, whereafter he disappears.