Silver Denarius of Emperor Galba - C.5867 Origin: Mediterranean Circa: 68 AD to 69 AD Collection: Numismatics Style: Roman Medium: Silver Servius Sulpicius Galba served most of his political life as a distinguished Senator under the Julio-Claudian line of emperors dating from the time of Augustus. Under Emperor Nero, he was appointed governor of Spain in 60 A.D. However, by 67 A.D., the Senate had grown tired of Nero’s rule and popular revolts broke out in the provinces, first in Gaul, then in Spain under Galba’s authority. When Galba intercepted a letter from Nero to one of his Spanish agents ordering his arrest, Galba allowed his soldiers to declare him Imperator on April 2, 68 A.D at the ripe old age of seventy-three. The Senate confirmed Galba as Augustus upon Nero’s flight and suicide. Yet Galba proved to be an ineffective ruler whose pride stood in the way and invoked the wrath of those closest to him. He alienated both the army and the Praetorian Prefect when he refused to pay them bonuses upon his ascension which was customary whenever a new emperor took the throne. Later, he fired the Praetorian Prefect who had bribed the Guard away from Nero and aided in Galba’s revolt, famously declaring, “it is my policy to levy troops, not to buy them.” Finally, he committed one last fatal blunder when he declared a young nobleman, Calpurnius Piso Licianus, to be his heir. Piso had no military experience and has disdained by the Praetorian Guard. Worse, this offended Otho who expected to succeed Galba. Otho then declared himself Emperor and led a calvary that slaughtered Galba in the streets of the Forum on January 15th, 69 A.D. In the end, Galba served as Emperor for only seven months.

Antique Coins
Ancient coins