Ancient Rome - 68-69 CE Galba AV Aureus NGC Choice VF

Galba AV Aureus. NGC Choice VF. Strike: 4/5, Surface: 3/5. 7.67 grams. Presumably Tarraco Mint (in modern day Catalonia, Spain). Galba's gold coins are very rare and exhibit considerable artistry in accurately depicting his craggy, scowling appearance. Please take a look at the images provided. The obverse presents a laureate head of Galba facing right and the legend, IMP GALBA. The reverse displays the goddess Livia standing left. She is draped, her right hand holds a patera, while in her left hand she is holding a long scepter. Legend: DIVA AVGVSTA. Dramatic, well-struck example.

The coinage of Galba depicts a great variety of portrait styles, for he produced coins not only at Rome, but also in Spain, Gaul and North Africa. Galba's Spanish coinage may have been produced at more than one mint, however it appears that most, if not all of it, was struck at a single mint, presumably Tarraco, his old capital city. Galba lived in Tarraco for eight years, as Nero had given him the governorship of Hispania.

Bust of Galba in Gustav III’s Museum of Antiquities, Stockholm. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Galba was in Spain when declared emperor. The praetorian guard commander, Nymphidius Sabinus, had promised his men a large sum (bribe) to abandon their allegiance to Nero. Galba found the amount too high. Therefore he ignored Nymphidius' promise to his men, and replaced him with a friend. Nymphidius revolted and was promptly killed. Then all of the officers of the praetorian guard were replaced by Galba's personal friends. Additionally, it was announced that the promised bribe would not be paid at all. In fact, no soldiers at all received a bonus to celebrate Galba's taking the throne. Galba said, "I choose my soldiers, I do not buy them."

Corruption was rife during Galba's reign, not by Galba, but by the officials he appointed. Many of those greedy people destroyed any good will that existed in the army and senate towards Galba. The most corrupt official was the freedman Icelus. Rumored to be Galba's lover, it was believed that he stole more in seven months in office than all of Nero's freemen had stolen in 13 years. Thus it was not surprising that the army revolted against Galba. Then Galba adopted the 30-year-old Piso as his successor. This angered Otho, one of Galba's earliest supporters, who then conspired with the praetorian guard to eliminate Galba. It was on January 15, 69, that a group of praetorians attacked Galba and Piso in the Roman Forum. They later presented the severed heads of the two men to Otho, who became the next emperor.