Publius Cornelius Lentulus Spinther

Denied the opportunity to invade Egypt the following year, he nevertheless won some victories in his province of Cilicia and celebrated a triumph over it in 51 BC.

Captured by Caesar and pardoned at Corfinium in the opening months of the war, he made his way to Greece to join Pompey's forces.

[3][4] During his office, he minted denarii bearing a picture of Genius Populi Romani, to show the justice of the war waged against Sertorius in Spain.

[5] Although the Genius is also found on coins minted by other Cornelii Lentuli, numismatist Michael Crawford doubts that he was particularly worshipped in the family.

[citation needed] In the campaign in 58 BC for the next year's consulship, Spinther received the backing of Julius Caesar and Pompey.

[16] In the autumn, news came to Rome of an Egyptian dynastic struggle, which promised huge financial rewards and prestige for any prospective commander.

[15] His actions during the year, and thereafter, showed "no strong allegiance to Caesar" nor did Pompey's support "forestall unpleasant friction over the restoration of [Ptolemy]".

[17] Taking as proconsul the governorship of Cilicia – to which the island of Cyprus also had been added – he secured for himself instructions from the senate to intervene in the Egyptian dynastic struggle and restore Ptolemy XII Auletes to the throne, but stopped after a Sibylline oracle prohibited the use of an army.

After the consul Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus put all tribunician proposals on hold by declaring public holidays; Gaius Cato threatened to veto the elections.

[20] The actions of the consuls and the contrasting ambitions of Pompey and Crassus, two of the three men in the so-called First Triumvirate, showed their alliance "in a shambles".

[22] He also struck large silver coins (known as Cistophoric tetradrachms) from a provincial mint at Apameia in Phrygia that bear his name - P LENTVLVS P F IMPERATOR.

[30] In 48 BC, Pompey's main army confronted that of Julius Caesar and his lieutenant Marc Antony at the Battle of Pharsalus.