© Trustees of the British Museum
© Trustees of the British Museum
Sestertius - Galba HONOS ET VIRTVS S C; Honos and Virtus
| Bronze | 22.8 g | - |
| Issuer | Rome › Roman Empire (27 BC - 395 AD) |
|---|---|
| Emperor | Galba (Servius Sulpicius Galba) (68-69) |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
| Years | 68-69 |
| Value | 1 Sestertius = ¼ Denarii |
| Currency | Denarius, Reform of Augustus (27 BC – AD 215) |
| Composition | Bronze |
| Weight | 22.8 g |
| Shape | Round (irregular) |
| Technique | Hammered |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-10-06 |
| Numista | N#245273 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 100% |
Reverse
Honos, bare to waist, standing right, holding sceptre in right hand and cornucopiae in left, facing Virtus, helmeted, in military dress, standing left, holding parazonium in right hand and spear in left, resting right foot on boar's head
Script: Latin
Lettering: HONOS ET VIRTVS S C
Translation:
Honos Et Virtus, Senatus Consultum
Honour and virtue. Decree of the senate.
Comment
Source: Online Coins of the Roman Empire (OCRE)Interesting fact
The Sestertius - Galba coin was minted during the reign of Emperor Galba, who ruled the Roman Empire from 68 to 69 AD. The coin's design features the goddess Honos (Honor) and the goddess Virtus (Virtue) on the obverse (front side), and a shield with the initials "S C" (Senatus Consulto) on the reverse (back side). The coin's weight of 22.8 grams and its composition of bronze were standard for Roman coins of that time. Interestingly, the Sestertius - Galba coin was minted during a time of great turmoil in the Roman Empire. Emperor Galba was known for his strict and conservative policies, which made him unpopular with the Roman people. He was eventually assassinated in 69 AD, and his death marked the end of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and the beginning of the Year of the Four Emperors, a period of political instability that lasted for several months. Despite this tumultuous context, the Sestertius - Galba coin remains a valuable and sought-after collector's item for numismatists today.
