Aureus of Galba, 68 AD to 69 AD
Gold
GM.006
A well centred and well preserved example of one of the most rare coins of the Ancient world, an aureus struck under the seven months of the reign of Galba,...
A well centred and well preserved example of one of the most rare coins of the Ancient world, an aureus struck under the seven months of the reign of Galba, during the crisis after the death of Nero.
July 68 – January 69, 7.3 g.
OBVERSE
Laureate head of Galba, to the right.
Lettering: IMP SER GALBA - CAESAR AVG
Transcription: IMP[ERATOR] SER[VIVS] GALBA - CAESAR AVG[VSTVS]
Translation: The Supreme Commander Servius Galba Caesar Augustus.
REVERSE
Livia, draped, standing to the left, holding patera in her right hand and s vertical sceptre in the left.
Lettering: DIVA - AVGVSTA
Translation: The Goddess Augusta.
Born in a noble family (his ancestors had already been consuls in 200 BC), Servius Galba was the first Emperor to reign during the “year of the four Emperors”, the succession crisis following the death of Nero in AD 68, when four men rapidly succeeded to each other on the throne. He reigned for seven months, becoming the first Emperor not belonging to the Julio-Claudian dynasty.
After having fulfilled a number of military and administrative roles in the Roman State, Galba retired under the reign of Claudius around AD 49, only to be recalled to service by Nero around AD 60. In the following years he rose to prominence while Nero became more and more unpopular, leading to the final crisis in AD 68. As a sign of his dissent against the Emperor, during that year Galba refused the title of ‘General of Caesar’, with its connotation of connection and allegiance to the Emperor, choosing instead the title ‘General of the Senate and People of Rome’. At midnight on 8 June, the prefect of the Pretorian Guard Nymphidius Sabinus, falsely announced to the guards that Nero had fled to Egypt, and the Senate proclaimed Galba emperor, choosing him for his physical weakness and apathy, which made him manouvrable. Nero then committed suicide.
Galba was not able to gain popularity with the Army, Pretorian Guard, and the People. After a number of legions refused to swear allegiance to him, he was killed under orders of Otho on 15 January AD 69. Otho succedded him for three months, being killed on 16 April AD 69.
The coinage of Galba, as one would expect during a period of deep political and institutional crisis, exalts idealised themes of harmony, peace, and triumph. This coins juxtaposes to the portrait of Galba a depiction of the Goddess Livia, the deified wife of the Emperor Augustus, who all Roman women had to invoke while taking an oath. The representation of Livia was surely meant to evoke the past Golden Age of the reign of Augustus, a reassuring image during a period of great crisis. This is an exceptionally rare coin, having been struck during an incredibly short reign. Among the major collections of ancient coinage, an example of this type is kept at the British Museum (1867,0101.632).
References: RIC 184. BMC 4. C 54. Calicó 473. Kent- Hirmer pl. 59, 207. Jameson III 436. Biaggi 254. - (GM.006)
July 68 – January 69, 7.3 g.
OBVERSE
Laureate head of Galba, to the right.
Lettering: IMP SER GALBA - CAESAR AVG
Transcription: IMP[ERATOR] SER[VIVS] GALBA - CAESAR AVG[VSTVS]
Translation: The Supreme Commander Servius Galba Caesar Augustus.
REVERSE
Livia, draped, standing to the left, holding patera in her right hand and s vertical sceptre in the left.
Lettering: DIVA - AVGVSTA
Translation: The Goddess Augusta.
Born in a noble family (his ancestors had already been consuls in 200 BC), Servius Galba was the first Emperor to reign during the “year of the four Emperors”, the succession crisis following the death of Nero in AD 68, when four men rapidly succeeded to each other on the throne. He reigned for seven months, becoming the first Emperor not belonging to the Julio-Claudian dynasty.
After having fulfilled a number of military and administrative roles in the Roman State, Galba retired under the reign of Claudius around AD 49, only to be recalled to service by Nero around AD 60. In the following years he rose to prominence while Nero became more and more unpopular, leading to the final crisis in AD 68. As a sign of his dissent against the Emperor, during that year Galba refused the title of ‘General of Caesar’, with its connotation of connection and allegiance to the Emperor, choosing instead the title ‘General of the Senate and People of Rome’. At midnight on 8 June, the prefect of the Pretorian Guard Nymphidius Sabinus, falsely announced to the guards that Nero had fled to Egypt, and the Senate proclaimed Galba emperor, choosing him for his physical weakness and apathy, which made him manouvrable. Nero then committed suicide.
Galba was not able to gain popularity with the Army, Pretorian Guard, and the People. After a number of legions refused to swear allegiance to him, he was killed under orders of Otho on 15 January AD 69. Otho succedded him for three months, being killed on 16 April AD 69.
The coinage of Galba, as one would expect during a period of deep political and institutional crisis, exalts idealised themes of harmony, peace, and triumph. This coins juxtaposes to the portrait of Galba a depiction of the Goddess Livia, the deified wife of the Emperor Augustus, who all Roman women had to invoke while taking an oath. The representation of Livia was surely meant to evoke the past Golden Age of the reign of Augustus, a reassuring image during a period of great crisis. This is an exceptionally rare coin, having been struck during an incredibly short reign. Among the major collections of ancient coinage, an example of this type is kept at the British Museum (1867,0101.632).
References: RIC 184. BMC 4. C 54. Calicó 473. Kent- Hirmer pl. 59, 207. Jameson III 436. Biaggi 254. - (GM.006)
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