her left hand supports a hasta pura, and on the right one stands a small winged victory, holding a laurel-wreath towards the "Eternal Mistress." Rome, on account of the supposed descent of Romulus from Mars, was always represented armed, and seated upon a trophy to denote military success. That public worship was paid to the city, is abundantly testified by the poets: Prudentius says— "Delubrum Romæ (colitur nam sanguine et ipsa More Deæ) nomenque loci ceu numen habetur." GALBA. Servius Sulpitius Galba was born B. C. 3, of illustrious parentage; and he was the last Emperor who claimed descent from the ancient families of Rome. Omitting his boasted lineage from Pasiphaë, it may be mentioned that his mother was greatgrand-daughter to Mummius, the noted conqueror of Corinth, a man much more renowned for virtue, than for virtú. By the interest of Livia, to whom he was related, Galba was raised to employments before the age required by the laws; but he always acquitted himself with credit; and so greatly to the satisfaction of his august patroness, that she bequeathed him five millions of sesterces; but the legacy being set down in figures and cyphers, and not written at large, Tiberius, the heir-at-law, sifted it down to half a million, and even that was never paid. Galba was raised to the consulship A. D. 33, and in the year following, was sent to supersede Getulicus, in Germany. On the death of Caligula he was urged to assume the Purple, but declined,―in consequence of which Claudius conferred upon him the proconsulate of Africa. In A. D. 68, he was declared Emperor, and the death of Nero immediately followed; but as the aged veteran refused the usual bribe to the soldiers, he was slain in a camp-tumult, after a reign of but seven months and a week. He thus miserably expired at the age of 72; and, while falling under a multitude of wounds, attered the sentence,-" Feri, si ex re sit Populi Romani !” Although Tacitus, not having the fear of the "no medium" doctrines "before his eyes, has said of Galba—“ Magis extra vitia quam cum virtutibus,”—yet it may be inferred that his virtues considerably overbalanced his vices; for he lived with such high repute, during the reigns of five emperors, that he was considered both worthy and capable of supreme authority. He was well versed in all the liberal sciences, and was so excellent in the profession of arms, as to have succeeded in restoring the ancient discipline to his legions. His conduct in domestic life presented a pleasing contrast to that of the wretches we have been describing, for the propriety and fidelity both of himself, and his wife Lepida, were always such as to give no room for censure or detraction. After the death of that excellent woman, Galba led a single life, notwithstanding the allurements and solicitations of the beauteous and accomplished Agrippina, a lady whose passion for him was so violent, that in the life-time of Lepida, she had had a boxing-match on his account. He has been accused of incompetence to govern, of penuriousness, of cruelty, and of delegating his authority to three detestable "pedagogues." These charges are but imperfectly proved in evidence, and the reign of Galba was altogether too brief to manifest what would have been the sway when the turbulent factions left by Nero, and the disaffection of the slothful prætorians, had been calmed. Plutarch bears witness that he always preferred the good of the public to any private considerations, -and pays him this high tribute: "It is an acknowledged truth, that Sulpitius Galba was the richest private man that ever rose to the imperial dignity: but though his extraction was of the noblest, from the family of the Servii, yet he thought it a greater honour to be related to Q. C. Capitolinus, who was the first man in his time for virtue and reputation." Galba was frugal and free from pride and prejudice; but some of his appetites are said to have been grossly depraved, and, perhaps from the natural infirmities of age, he trusted too blindly to his counsellors: at all events, the plea for the seditious invectives which wrought his destruction, was founded on an expression worthy of the brightest period of Roman virtue ;—when urged to bestow largesses upon the army, he said, "I have been accustomed to levy soldiers, not to buy them." And among his public virtues, it should be remembered that he adopted Piso in preference to Otho, because the former was a man of more principle than the latter. The medals of this unfortunate Emperor are rare in gold, but common in largebrass, and very common in silver, and second-brass, except the restitutions by Titus, which are greatly prized. There are no Latin small-brass, but some were struck in the colonies. The head is sometimes bare upon the medals, of all sizes and metals, except the large-brass, where it is constantly laureated. A Greek Imperial coin bas been shewn me, by a friend, as of Lepida, the wife of Galba; but it is probably a fabricated one, for there is no mention whatever of her having received such a token of commemoration. LVII. Obverse. IMP. SER. SVLP. GALBA CAES. AVG. TR. POT. (Imperator Sergius Sulpitius Galba, Cæsar Augustus, Tribunitia potestate.) The laurelled head of Galba, with strong marks of age, and an aquiline nose, of size sufficient for a gnomon to Trajan's animated dial. This medal was struck A. D. 68; it is in fair condition, though it has been somewhat injured by the Scriblerian wire-brush of a former owner. Reverse. ADLOCVTIO. On the field S. C. The emperor, with the commander of the prætorian guards, on a suggestum, addressing a party of soldiers, who, by the horse's head, represent both cavalry and infantry. It may not have been the design of the medallist, but by turning the man's head, who is nearest the emperor, towards his comrades, there is an air of confusion in this adlocution, not usual upon those struck on similar occasions,-whence it seems to shew the discontent of the cohorts, on being refused the donative they demanded. But it is usually thought to refer to the speech which Galba made to his troops in Spain, when he first revolted from Nero. LVIII. Obverse. IMP. SER. GALBA AVG. TR. P. (Imperator Sergius Galba, Augustus, Tribunitia potestate.) The head of Galba, in style and workmanship resembling that last described. It is in excellent preservation, and was presented to me at Jerba, by Sidy Mustapha, the governor, in 1822.* Reverse. LIBERTAS PVBLICA. On the field S. C. A robed female standing, with a wand in her left hand, and the pileus, or cap of liberty, in the other. The wand represents the vindicta, with which the prætor touched a slave on manumitting him; and the cap was assumed as the badge of freedom, because slaves went bare-headed. To these emblems were sometimes added a cornucopiæ, because from liberty springs abundance. This medal was struck by order of the senate upon the condemning of Nero, and proclaiming of Galba his successor,— and so sure did they make of freedom being regained by the death of the last of the Cæsars, that they struck also, at the same time, coins inscribed Libertas Augusti, and Libertas restituta. Among other ceremonies used in the manumission of slaves, was the giving of blows previous to the imposition of the pileus,-whence the satirist, And when we recall the horrid ergastula in which they were kept, and the probable fate which awaited old age and infirmity, of either being exposed on the Tiber island to starve, or sold for any price, as was practised by the virtuous Cato, we may imagine what a release the pileus implied to those unhappy beings. They were dead in the eye of the law as to all the rights of man, but sufficiently reminded that they were quick in all points of bondage. Hence they were liable to be hung by the heels, while eight "valentes virgatores" laid on their stripes, and castigated them with tortures, stimuli, laminæ, crucesque, compedesque, Nervi, catenæ, carceres, numellæ, pedicæ, boja, LIX. Obverse. SER. GALBA IMP. CAESAR AVG. TR. P. (Sergius Galba, Imperator, Cæsar Augustus, Tribunitia potesate.) A fine profile of Galba. This medal is coated with a brownish-green patina, is in a remarkably pure state of preservation, and was procured from a gentleman at Bonorva, in Sardinia, in 1823. Reverse. S. P. Q. R. OB CIV. SER. (Senatus Populus Que Romanus, Ob Cives Servalos.) This is inserted as a legend in the centre of a garland of broad oak-leaves; and was struck in allusion to Galba's having rescued the citizens of Rome from Nero. (See No. XXXIV.) The civic crown was not only bestowed upon him who had saved the life of a citizen, but also for any public success, and was therefore frequently voted to the emperors at the commencement of their reigns. Now, though these gentry more commonly proved destroyers than preservers of the people, the opportunity was taken of reminding them that clemency and humanity would be the surest means to establish the empire in peace, make them acceptable to their subjects, confirm their power, and render their government popular. It was more highly esteemed than mural, gold, vallarian, or rostral crowns; and it gave the right of a senatorial seat at the theatres. The fine compliment of Claudian to Stilicho must be repeated : "Of old, when in the war's tumultuous strife, And foil'd the threat'ning foe, our sires decreed An oaken garland for the victor's meed. Thou who has sav'd whole crowds, whole towns set free, What groves, what woods, shall furnish crowns for thee? LX. Obverse. IMP. SER. GALBA AVG. TR. P. (Imperator Sergius Galba, Augustus, Tribunitia potestate.) The profile of the Emperor, looking towards the left; and, what is remarkable, crowned with oak-leaves instead of laurel, in token of his being deemed the liberator of Rome. This medal is varnished with a deep brown patina, and is in good condition; it was presented to me by my shipmate, Lieutenant Thomas Graves, R. N. Reverse. ROMA, on the exergum; in the field S. C. The galeated figure of Rome, seated upon various spoils of war. Her left arm rests on a shield placed upon a helmet, and her right is supported by the wand of divinity,-the whole signifying the restoration of tranquillity after the toils of war. LXI. Obverse, SERG. GALBA IMP. CAES. AVG. TR. P. (Sergius Galba, Imperator, Cæsar Augustus, Tribunitia potestate. The laureated head of Galba, with a portion of the paludamentum on the breast. A brown-patinated coin in tolerable preservation, which was procured at Pisa in 1823. Reverse, ROMA R. XL. (Roma, remissa quadrigesima.) In the field S. C. A bold standing figure of Rome Nicephorus, or victorious, the right-hand holding an idol of victory with a crown and cornucopiæ, as symbols of power and abundance; and the left supports a transversal wand surmounted with wings, the elbow resting on a trophy. The inscription shews the whole to be in commemoration of the abolition of an impost. LXII. Obverse. IMP. SER, SVLP. GALBA CAES. AVG. TR. P. (Imperator Sergius Sulpitius Galba, Cæsar Augustus, Tribunitia potestate.) The crowned profile of the emperor, with an amulet on the breast. Procured of Capt. Falbe, the Danish Consul, at Tunis, in 1822. The patina is grass-green. Reverse. HISPANIA CLVNIA SVLP. (Hispania, Clunia, Sulpitia.) On the exergum S. C. The emperor seated in state, with a parazonium, or sceptral sword, reclining on his left arm, while his right is extended towards a well-robed female figure, bearing a cornucopiæ, and who is presenting the palladium to him. It seems that when Galba was at Clunia he received information of his exaltation to the empire, which, coupled with an ancient prediction of the place in his favour, inclined him to honour it with the appellation of Sulpitia. This medal therefore commemorates the fact,-and it is the tutelary deity of the City who is presenting the symbol of success to the emperor. отно. Marcus Salvius Otho, the eighth emperor of Rome, though of Hetrurian descent, was of illustrious birth, being the son of L. S. Otho and Albia Terentia. He was born A. D. 32; joined the revolt against Nero A. D. 68; and conspired against Galba in the following year, when he became emperor. After getting the better of the troops of Vitellius in two or three skirmishes, he lost a pitched battle at Bedriacum, whereupon he destroyed himself, on the 17th of April, A. D. 69, in his 37th year, and after a reign of but 3 months and 5 days. The tender years of Otho were spent in idleness, and his youth in such profligate debauchery, that he became very acceptable to Nero. Otho having taken a fancy to Poppaa Sabina *-whose husband died most opportunely-he married her ; and either in the indiscreet warmth of a lover, or from a more sordid inducement, he so extolled the charms of his wife to the emperor, that Nero desired an interview with her. Here the address of Poppæa was so artfully plied that she was For notice of the medals of Poppæa, see page 41. forthwith conducted to the palace, where she so wounded the pride of Nero, by still pretending fondness for Otho, that the parasite would probably have been murdered, had not Seneca suggested his being sent to govern Lusitania, in honourable exile. If he had been victorious over Vitellius, he was engaged to marry Statilia Messalina, the widow of Nero; these were affairs and crosses which the Romans made very light of, as was evinced in the memorable instance of Cato's bargain: yet it was not for such acts that Martial compared the Censor and Otho, for constancy.* Having entered upon his government, Otho acquired no less reputation in authority, by his gravity, justice, and regular conduct, than he had deserved infamy in a private station, by his voluptuous and dissolute life. He was the foremost to espouse the cause of Galba, in expectation of being declared his successor; but the aged veteran, doubting the "Roman Absalom's" principles, adopted the more virtuous Piso, and destroyed the hope. Out of hatred and revenge he determined to murder both, and establish himself in the empire; and the unlucky refusal of a donative to the soldiers, by Galba, paved the path to success. Otho was the first illegitimate sovereign who was advanced to the throne solely by means of the Prætorian Guards, which time and experience proved to be so pernicious a precedent. Juvenal, as the friend perhaps of Domitian, was very malignant towards Otho, accusing him of every vice, and asking, in mock-heroics, whether the murder of Galba-a poor decrepit old man-was -was a general's action. He has been accused of ungratefully turning against Nero, but it fortunately happens that minions have ever borne a detestation to those who caused their flagitiousness. Otho commenced his reign by the popular acts of honouring Celsus, and destroying the hateful Tigellinus; but while establishing himself, the armies of Germany declared for Vitellius. None could be more abhorrent than the two candidates for empire-indolent, incontinent, and sensual-the Emperor licentious to an extreme, and his rival a gluttonous drowsy drunkard; both of effeminate habits, and both deeply in debt. But, as is harshly said of Sir Walter Raleigh, his death was the most commendable act of the life of Otho,-and hence he proved himself superior to Vitellius. "It is better that one die for many," said he, "than that for one, many should die ;" and finding the battle lost, he-without any impeachment of his fortitude-sacrificed himself for the public tranquillity, although his troops were unshaken in their attachment, and his affairs were far from desperate. By two acts," says Tacitus, "one the most odious, and the other the most laudable, he equally deserved infamy and renown among posterity.” & * Both Plutarch and Suetonius differ in their account of this, and make Otho only the keeper of Poppæa until Nero could make away with Octavia; but no one will be blamed for adhering to Tacitus. Even the distich cited by Suetonius himself, proves the marriage, "Cur Otho mentito sit, quæritis, exsul konore? H |