Forces of Galba in Spain. Anonymous, 3 April-2nd half of June 68. Denarius (Silver, 17 mm, 3.01 g, 5 h), uncertain mint in Spain. Group I. LIBER[TAS] Draped bust of Libertas to right, wearing braided hair. Rev. P - R / RESTITVTA Pileus between two vertical daggers. BMC 7. CG 63.1 (this coin). Cohen 394. Martin 49. Nicolas 40. RIC 24. Extremely rare, one of only eleven known, seven of which are in museums. An issue of great historical interest and importance. Struck somewhat off center and with a few minor marks, otherwise, very fine.


The reverse of this issue copies one of the most illustrious coins of antiquity, the famed EID MAR issue of Brutus (see lot 2290 in Leu 10). Struck in gold and silver in 42 BC, the prototype showed the portrait of Julius Caesar's most prominent murderer on the obverse and a pileus, or a liberty cap, between two daggers on the reverse. So powerful was the imagery of this issue that it was still known to the statesman and historian Cassius Dio (circa 155-235) in the early 3rd century, who provides us with one of the few mentions of a specific coin type in the writings of a classical author: 'In addition to these activities Brutus stamped upon the coins which were being minted his own likeness and a cap​ and two daggers, indicating by this and by the inscription that he and Cassius had liberated the fatherland.' (Cass. Dio 47.25.3).

The present coin provides even more evidence for the long-lasting reception of the famous EID MAR issue. Clearly Galba's moneyers noted that Brutus' imagery was perfectly suited for their own propagandistic purposes when they set about drafting the anonymous civil war series in the spring of 68. However, with Nero still in power at the time, the new adaptation of the tyrannicide theme served a wholly different purposes as opposed to its more famous predecessor, which celebrated the murder of a tyrant two years after the deed. Galba's coins, on the other hand, were both a call to action as well as a promise of a brighter future. Their imagery is not a post-factual commemoration, but instead a call upon the Romans to restore their liberty by slaying Nero. There is, however, another layer to the story. By recalling Brutus' murder of Julius Caesar, Galba not only propagandizes tyrannicide, he also evidently plays on republican values and ideas. After all, Julius Caesar was not only Nero's ancestor, he had also established monocracy in Rome. Killing his descendant Nero would both bring the rule of the degenerate Julio-Claudian dynasty to an end as well as stoking up a discussion regarding the future of the empire. Clearly the old aristocrat Galba, who was renowned for his adherence to the mos maiorum, the conservative Roman virtues of discipline, claimed to have a crucial say in shaping the future of the empire.