L. Sempronius Atratinus (Ex Collection M. Lafaille, unique)

PELOPONNESUS.
Æ, circa 39 BC, SPARTA, L. Sempronius Atratinus, 20 mm, 4.78 g. ATPATINOC, bare head of Atratinus r.//Λ-A(κεδαιμονίων), below a monogram which gives the name of the official responsible for this coin, perhaps AΠΟ(---) – C?, eagle standing r. Grunauer -; Hoover 632 (this coin); RPC 1101 b.1 (this coin).

Apparently unique, only one in RPC. Very fine 

Link to this coin in RPC:

Provenance

Exemplar der Auktion Fritz Rudolf Künker 396, November 2023, Nr. 1019; Ex Collection BCD, LHS Auction 96, Zurich 2006, lot 902;
Ex Collection M. Lafaille, Monnaies et Médailles 76, Basel 1991, lot 374;

The fate of L. Sempronius Atratinus reflects the vicissitudes of a life in the late period of the Roman Civil Wars. Atratinus was born in 73 BC as the son of the plebeian senator L. Calpurnius Bestia, but was then adopted into the patrician family of the Sempronians. He was apparently at first a supporter of Marc Antony, who patronised him. In 40 BC Atratinus was enrolled in the highly respected College of the Augurs. Shortly afterwards he held the office of governor (legatus pro praetore) of the then united provinces of Macedonia and Achaia (which comprised central and southern Greece). During his term of office, the citizens of the small town of Hypata in central Greece erected a statue in his honour. In Patrai (today Patras), his wife and certainly he himself were honoured with a statue (Rizakis, A. D.: Rizakis, Achaïe II. La cité de Patras: épigraphie et histoire (Meletèmata 25), Athens 1998, 32 and 115-6, no. 3), he himself is described as the patron and benefactor of the city of Patrai, as in Hypata (Eilers, C.: Roman Patrons of Greek Cities, Oxford 2002, 195 f. C 9). Another tribute was paid by the famous Sparta, which had fallen into complete insignificance: The Spartans/Lakedaimonians put his effigy on the obverse of Spartan bronze coins. This honorary coinage for Atratinus was minted as least in two emissions by different moneyers. After this office in Greece, Atratinus fought as a fleet admiral against Sextus Pompeius in 36 BC. In Sicily, the cities of Lilybaion and Entella honoured him with coins. His obviously prudent and successful participation in the victory of Caesar junior (= Augustus) over Sextus Pompeius earned Atratinus a suffect consulship in 34 BC. When Antony and Caesar junior broke with each other, Atratinus sided with Caesar junior. In 22/21 BC he became governor of the province of Africa. He died at the age of almost 80 in 7 AD.

Referencia : RPC 1101 b.1

Fuente : https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/1101...

Colección : Fleet coinage, Marcus Antonius & Octavia