ZEUGITANA. "Paterna". Tiberius, 14-37. 'Sestertius' (Bronze, 40 mm, 37.28 g, 1 h), struck under P. Cornelius Dolabella und P. Gavius Casca, 23. TI CAE DIVI F AVG AVG IMP VIII COS IIII Head of Tiberius to left. Rev. •PERMIS P DOLABE[LLAE PR]OCOS C P G CAS D D• / C - I - P Mercury seated left on pile of rocks, holding caduceus in his right hand. RPC I 768 var. (differing reverse legend). Rare and unusually attractive. Edge broken and glued at 6 o'clock, otherwise, very fine.


The Roman historian Tacitus recounts how during Tiberius' reign, Tacfarinas, a Numidian, deserted from the Roman army, and undertook a series of raids in Roman Africa. Tacfarinas' hit-and-run tactics were initially successful, but his Berber army was unable to defeat the Romans in a pitched battle. When P. Cornelius Dolabella arrived in Africa as proconsul, he was determined to put an end to the rebellion. He quickly outmanoeuvred Tacfarinas, who ended up trapped in the woods near Auzea. With no way out, the rebel leader committed suicide by throwing himself on his enemies' spears.