AR denarius, Rome, 58 BC

Aretas, king of Nabatea, kneeling beside camel raising olive branch with fillet
M SCAVR / AED CVR // EX _ S C // REX ARETAS
Jupiter in quadriga left, holding reins and thunderbolt
P HYPSAE / AED CVR // CAPT // C HYPSAE COS / PREIVE

Crawford 422/1b, SRCV I 379, Sydenham 913, RSC I Aemilia 8
3,0g 18mm
ex in Asta

The moneyers were Curule aediles in 58 BC. Scaurus became a praetor in 56 BC and Hypsaeus in 55 BC. Scaurus lost his father when he was young. He was raised by Sulla as a step-son. He served as a quaestor under Pompey and as a proquaestor during the third Mithridatic war 66-61 BC. In the same time conflict between Aristobulus II and Hyrcanus II broke out in Judea. Nabatean king Aretas III supported Hyrcanus and besieged Aristobulus in Jerusalem. Scaurus was send as intermediary. He sent Aretas back and settled the conflict in favour of Aristobulus. Later, Pompey accused him of bribery and removed Aristobulus in 63 BC. Scaurus moved to Petra then he was called back after payment of 300 talent fine. Hypsaeus also served as a quaestor under Pompey. Reverse commemorates conquest of Volscian town Priverna by moneyer’s ancestor Gaius Plautius Decianus Hypsaeus in 330-329 BC. Scaurus was the first Roman who depicted event from his own life on coins.