2017-11-23 Thu

Emperor Galba known in Latin as Servius Sulpicius Galba Augustus and originally known as Servius Sulpicius Galba was the Emperor of Rome for seven months in 68-69CE. He was the governor of Hispania Taaraconesis at the time of the rebellion of Julius Vindex in Gaul. He seized the throne following Emperor Nero’s suicide.

In seven months of the administration, his biggest concern was to stabilise the state’s finances. The span of his reign was short comparatively, yet coins were minted. The coinage of Galba consists of denominations like Aureus, Denarius, Tetradrachm, Dupondius, AS, Drachma, etc.

The above-shown coin is a silver tetradrachm of Emperor Galba which was circulated around 68 AD - 69 CE. The obverse of this coin depicts laureated head of Galba facing right with the legend "FALBAS KAISAR SEBASTOS". The reverse illustrates an eagle facing left on a thunderbolt. A palm branch is depicted on the left side and a legend "ETOVS NEOV IEROV A" around it.

Emperor Galba is said to be the oldest ruling emperor to date. He adopted Lucius Calpurnius Piso Licinianus as his heir due to his old age. This decision angered Otho, Galba’s early supporter. Otho rebelled against Galba and killed him and Piso.

Otho hailed himself as the emperor of Rome in January 69 CE. This event made Galba the first in the line of the ‘Years of the four kings’ in Rome...

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