A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

21. Cn.Calpurnius, PISO legatus and proquaestor of Pompey in the war against the pirates, commanded a division of the fleet at the Hellespont, B. C. 67. He afterwards followed Pompey in the Mithridatic war, and was present at the surrender of Jerusalem in 63. (Appian, App. Mith. 95, who erroneously calls him Publius; J. AJ 14.4.2.) The following coin commemorates the connection of Piso with the war against the pirates. The obverse contains the legend CN. PISO. PRO . Q., with the head of Numa (on which we find the letters NVMA), because the Calpurnia gens claimed descent from Calpus, the son of Numa [CALPURNIA GENS]; the reverse represents the prow of a ship with the legend MAGN. (P)RO . COS., i. e. (Ponpeius) Magnus proconsul. (Eckhel, vol. v. p. 160.)