Description

Galba  68-69 AD

Roman emperor Galba, Gustav III’s Museum of Antiquities, Stockholm.

Emperor Galba, born Servius Sulpicius Galba, was a Roman Emperor who ruled from June AD 68 to January AD 69, during a period known as the “Year of the Four Emperors.” Galba, who was of the old Roman aristocracy, rose to power following the suicide of Emperor Nero. He was the first emperor of the Year of the Four Emperors, a turbulent period in the Roman Empire where civil wars and political infighting saw four separate individuals ascend to the title of Emperor in quick succession within a single year.

Though Galba was initially welcomed as Nero’s successor, his reign was short-lived and challenging. His strict fiscal policies, the perceived arrogance of his administration, and his failure to manage the military effectively turned the Roman populace and many of his supporters against him.

His refusal to pay the troops who had supported his ascension to power led to dissatisfaction within the military ranks.

In January AD 69, Galba was assassinated in a conspiracy orchestrated by his adopted heir, Piso, and Marcus Salvius Otho, a disgruntled officer. Otho was proclaimed Emperor by the Praetorian Guard immediately after Galba’s death. Galba’s seven-month reign marked the beginning of the chaotic Year of the Four Emperors.

After Galba’s death, three more emperors Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian—each briefly held power in AD 69. This period of instability ultimately ended with the rise of Vespasian, who founded the Flavian dynasty and restored relative peace to the empire.

Coin details:

Obverse: IMP SER GALBA CAESAR AVG, laureate draped bust right.

Reverse: DIVA AVGVSTA, Livia standing left, holding patera & long scepter.

Diameter: 19 mm

Material: 24k Gold-plated