Sestia


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     SESTIA,  originally a patrician, at a later period
a plebeian moneyer. -- Four varieties in its coins ;
all of silver and rare. --There are two quinarii
of this moneyer, the former which bears on
one side L. SESTI. PRO. Q. Lucius Sestius Pro-Quaestore, with a chair and the hasta. The
latter has on its obverse the same name of the
Proquaestor Sestius, and for its type the veiled head of a woman. The reverse of both is
inscribed Q. CAEPIO BRVTVS PRO. COS. Quintus
Caepio Brutus Pro Consule
. -- On the reverse of
the former is a tripod between the apex and
the simpulum ; on the reverse of the latter is a
tripod, on either side of which is the securis
and the simpulum.
    The Lucius Sestius mentioned above not only
was a zealous personal friend and most intrepid
adherent to the cause of Brutus, but what
exhibits a rarer virtue, he showed unequivocal
proofs of his affection for him after his death.
On the authority of Dion, quoted by Ursin, and
adopted by Eckhel, it appears that Augustus, in
the year 23 B.C., appointed to the consular
dignity, L. Sestius, who had always favoured
Brutus, had taken part with him in his wars,
and reverenced his memory in possessing his
statue and extolling his merits, Augustus regarding the friendship and fidelity of Sestius as
honourable to him. -- This anecdote, so creditable
to both parties, deserves to be adduced, as it
has been, in illustration of these two seemingly
uninteresting coins, on the former of which the
sedile and the hasta indicate the rights of the
Quaestorship.


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