Galba’s short reign, though missing significant policy initiatives or decisive events, was an important turning point in how the empire, particularly the imperial succession, would develop. He was the first emperor not born of the family of Caesar Augustus, proving that there was, theoretically, opportunity for anyone to become emperor. This might seem an easy concept to grasp now, knowing how imperial history played out, but the empire was then only a new experiment. On the other hand, Galba was not a relative “newcomer” to power, born to a distinguished family with consuls as far back as 200 BC. He was the last emperor born in the BC era (3 BC), during the very early empire (the reign of Augustus), though Galba seemed to be the last Roman leader to represent something of the old stoic Republican values that were rapidly being consigned to history in the new age of empire politics. He rose in rebellion against the emperor Nero, whose unpopularity in the Roman Senate quickly compelled them to declare Galba rightful emperor. But the empire was descending into the greatest crisis since the civil wars between Antony and Octavian a century before. 

Above: A very rare denarius struck right at the beginning of Galba’s revolt in May-June 68, with the legend “Loyalty of the Armies.” This denarius is currently available for purchase.
 
Threats came from rebellious commanders as well as Nero loyalists. On January 1 of 69 AD, the most dangerous challenger emerged in the person of Vitellius, commander of the Rhine legions. His ambitious lieutenant Otho and the Praetorian Guard sensed the emperor’s weak position and conspired to kill him on January 15. Otho himself only lasted four months, while Vitellius, whose rebellion had set in motion Galba’s demise, was himself defeated and killed by a general from the East, Vespasian, who founded his own dynasty and restored stability to the empire.


Due to his short reign, coins of Galba are all scarce, with the gold pieces especially so. This type, one of Galba’s more plentiful in gold, was struck in Rome and displayed the corona civica on the reverse. Galba, the last emperor to have been born in the BC era, was said to be a more traditional man and would have displayed a deeper affinity for Republican symbols like the civic crown than his successors.

Below: Another very rare Civil War denarius, probably struck by the legions under Galba along the Rhine. Probably the most desirable issue of the civil war series, this type features the Roman motto SPQR (Senatus Populusque Romanus) and an interesting reverse legend translating to “the Health/Safety of the Human Race. This coin is currently available for purchase below.