LAKONIA. Lakedaimon (Sparta). L. Sempronius Atratinus, circa 39 BC. Tetrachalkon (Bronze, 21 mm, 7.14 g, 6 h). [ATPATINOC] Bare head of Atratinus to right. Rev. Λ-A Eagle standing right with closed wings; to left and right, monograms; to left, countermark: male head to right within round incuse. BCD Peloponnesos 900. Grunauer XVI, Series 9. RPC I 1101. For countermark, Grunauer p. 77 and Howgego 58 (dated to the time of Claudius (41-54) at the earliest). Very rare and of great interest. Some flatness from countermarking, otherwise, good fine.


L. Sempronius Atratinus was a Roman politician who served as Mark Antony's legatus pro praetore for the province of Achaea in the early 30s BC, where Sparta struck this exceptional bronze coin bearing his portrait. Atratinus commanded part of Antony's naval detachment to Octavian's war against Sextus Pompey and became suffect consul in 34 BC, but he went over to Octavian sometime before the Battle of Actium. In 22 BC, Atratinus was proconsul of Africa, where he must have been quite successful as he was awarded a triumph after his return to Rome. He eventually commited suicide in 7 BC at the age of 80 years.