M. E'ppius
M. F., a Roman senator, and a member of the tribe Terentina, took an active part in favour of Pompey on the breaking out of the civil war in B. C. 49.
He was one of the legates of Q. Metellus Scipio in the African war, and was pardoned by Caesar, with many others of his party, after the battle of Thapsus in B. C. 46. His name occurs as one of Scipio's legates on a coin, which is figured below.
The obverse represents a woman's head, covered with an elephant's skin, and likewise an ear of corn and a plough, all of which have reference to the province of Africa, with Q. METEL. SCIPIO IMP. On the reverse there is a figure of Hercules, with EPPIVS LEG. F. C.
The last two letters probably represent
Faciundum or
Feriundum Curavit, or
Flandum Curavit, and indicate that the denarius was struck by order of Eppius.
It appears from another coin, in which his name occurs as the legate of Pompey, that after he had been pardoned by Caesar he went into Spain and renewed the war under Sex. Pompey in B. C. 46 and 45.
Further Information
Cic. Fam. 8.8. ยงยง 5, 6, where the old editions incorrectly read
M. Oppius, ad Att. 8.11, B.; Hirtius,
Bell. Afric. 89; Eckhel, vol. v. pp. 206, 207.
