A rare denarius of Galba, struck at the Rome mint during his brief reign of approximately seven months.
Galba assumed power in AD 68 following the fall of Nero, bringing the Julio-Claudian dynasty to an end and beginning the turbulent period known as the Year of the Four Emperors. His attempts to restore military discipline and reorganise the imperial finances quickly cost him the army’s support. In January AD 69, he was murdered by soldiers who had declared their allegiance to Otho.
The reverse depicts the deified Livia, wife of Augustus and mother of Tiberius, holding a patera and long sceptre. The legend DIVA AVGVSTA emphasises her posthumous deification. Galba deliberately invoked Livia and the Augustan tradition to reinforce the legitimacy of his rule and associate himself with the foundations of the Roman Empire. According to ancient accounts, Galba enjoyed Livia’s particular favour and was named as a beneficiary in her will.
An example with a distinct and characteristic portrait of the emperor. The reverse is more worn, although the figure of Livia and the principal elements of the design remain discernible. Surfaces with traces of circulation.
A rare denarius of Galba, combining the portrait of one of the emperors of the turbulent AD 69 with the dynastic symbolism of the deified Livia and the legacy of the Augustan age.
Roman Imperial
Galba (68-69), Denarius 68, Rome mint
Obverse: laureate head emperor right
IMP SER GALBA CAESAR AVG
Reverse: Livia standing left holding patera in right and long vertical scepter in left
DIVA AVGVSTA
Diameter 17 mm, weight 2.68 g
