Rome

The article examines the relations between Rome and the Kingdom of Cappadocia on the eve of the First Mithridatic War. Although allied relations between them had existed for several decades, Rome showed little interest in events in this remote region. Only the rise of Pontus and the desire of Mithridates Eupator to strengthen his influence here prompted the Senate to take more active action.

The reverse of the denarii minted in Rome in 63 or 62 BC, with one of the moneyers at the time being L. Aemilius Lepidus Paullus, shows the conqueror of Macedonia L. Aemilius Paullus Macedonicus, as well as Perseus, the captured last king of the Antigonid dynasty, his children and a trophy. Some of these coins have the trophy depicting a shield of the so-called «Macedonian type» with its typical geometric and astral design. In 2012 a well preserved sample of this denarius from the so-called «Mayflower Collection» was sold at an auction.