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Sestertius - Galba S P Q R O B CIV SER
| Issuer | Roman Empire (27 BC - 395 AD) |
|---|---|
| Year | 68-69 |
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| Composition | Bronze |
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| Obverse description | Laureate and draped bust of Emperor Galba facing right, rendered in bold high relief typical of Julio-Claudian and early Flavian portraiture. The emperor is depicted with characteristic aged features, including a strong jaw and prominent brow. A laurel wreath crowns his head, signifying imperial and military authority. The encircling legend reads IMP SER SVLP GALBA CAES AVG TR P, distributed around the full circumference of the obverse field. |
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| Obverse lettering | IMP SER SVLP GALBA CAES AVG TR P (Translation: Imperator Servius Sulpicius Galba Caesar Augustus Tribunicia Potestas Supreme commander (Imperator) Servius Sulpicius Galba, Caesar, emperor (Augustus), tribunician power.) |
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Galba's reign lasted just seven months, from June 68 to January 69 AD, ending when the Praetorian Guard murdered him in the Roman Forum after he alienated them by refusing the customary donative promised in his name. The legend S P Q R OB C IVS SER — "the Senate and People of Rome, on account of citizens preserved" — was a deliberate political statement, positioning Galba as liberator from Neronian tyranny rather than simply the next emperor in line.
The brevity of the reign keeps surviving bronzes scarcer than their modest grades might suggest. RIC I 317 is a sestertius of the Rome mint.