After the battle of Pharsalus and the death of Pompey the Great during the first civil war, Metellus Scipio and other supporters of Pompey's faction escaped to Africa. This denarius, dated 47-46 B.C., is representative of an issue struck by Metellus Scipio in North Africa while he filled the role as Imperator. The obverse depicts the laureate head of Jupiter, most supreme of the Roman gods, and the legend Q(uintus) METEL(lus) PIVS. Starting in 47 B.C.E., much of the coinage issued that was not preoccupied with celebrating Caesar abruptly began again to depict the Roman Pantheon, and this is an example of that phenomenon. Its reverse portrays an elephant and the legend SCIPIO IMP(erator). While the elephant is thought to refer symbolically to Africa and the power Scipio Metellus held there, this symbol is also a trademark of the Metelli as it refers to the victory of L. Caecilius Metellus in battle against Hasdrubal at Panormus in 250 B.C.E. when he seized Hasdrubal's elephants. Ellen Christ 2011.