81 | Roman Empire

Automatically generated translation

GALBA. Sesterce. (Ae. 24.24g / 36mm). 68 AD Rome. Ob: IMP SER SVLPIC GALBA CAES AVG TR P. Draped laureate bust of Galba on the right. Rev: LIBERTAS PVBLICA. Libertas shelf to the left carrying crown and scepter, between UNC. (RIC 310). VF. Retouched.

Between the middle of AD 68 and the end of AD 69, what is known as the year of the four emperors occurs. And it is that after the death of Nero there is a period of instability and small civil wars that present us with different candidates to occupy the imperial scepter. The first of them was Galba, governor of the province of Tarraconensis whom contemporary writers presented as a person of advanced age but destined from cradle to be emperor. Suetonius wrote that Galba's accession to the throne was not entirely popular: “His power and prestige were far greater when he assumed power of the Empire than after; despite offering sufficient proof of his ability to govern, he got less praise for his good deeds than blame for his mistakes.
Regarding his coinage, his portraits are severe and sober, not trying to hide the damage that age had already done on his face. It should be noted, by way of anecdote, that Galba is one of the few emperors of whom we have evidence that he was bald, never being represented in this way in any of his minted coins.