Coins and Antiquities Consignment Shop
  10% Off Store-Wide Sale Until 2 April!!! All Items Purchased From Forum Ancient Coins Are Guaranteed Authentic For Eternity!!! Please Call Us If You Have Questions 252-646-1958 Expert Authentication - Accurate Descriptions - Reasonable Prices - Coins From Under $10 To Museum Quality Rarities 10% Off Store-Wide Sale Until 2 April!!! All Items Purchased From Forum Ancient Coins Are Guaranteed Authentic For Eternity!!! Internet Challenged? We Are Happy To Take Your Order Over The Phone 252-646-1958 Explore Our Website And Find Joy In The History, Numismatics, Art, Mythology, And Geography Of Coins!!!

×Catalog Main Menu
Fine Coins Showcase

Antiquities Showcase
New & Reduced


Show Empty Categories
Shop Search
Shopping Cart
My FORVM
Contact Us
About Forum
Shopping at Forum
Our Guarantee
Payment Options
Shipping Options & Fees
Privacy & Security
Forum Staff
Selling Your Coins
Identifying Your Coin
FAQs
zoom.asp
   View Categories
Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Roman Coins| ▸ |The Twelve Caesars| ▸ |Civil War of 68 - 69||View Options:  |  |  | 

Roman Civil War, 68 - 69 A.D.

In June of 68, after the Senate declared Nero a public enemy, he committed suicide, and Galba was made emperor. The following year, 69 A.D. would be The Year of the Four Emperors, when Rome was ruled in rapid succession by Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian. Galba's popularity was short-lived. He executed senators and equites without trial, reversed Nero's reforms, and refused to pay promised rewards to soldiers who had supported him. Meanwhile, legions in Germania Inferior acclaimed Vitellius as emperor. When Galba designated his successor, Otho, who had expected the honor, bribed the Praetorians. They killed Galba on 15 January. That day the Senate made Otho emperor. Vitellius was, however, on the march with an army to take power. Otho attempted to negotiate to no avail. After he was defeated in battle, he killed himself on 16 April. Vitellius celebrated his acclamation with feasts and parades which nearly bankrupted the treasury. Money-lenders who demanded payment were tortured and executed. He lured rivals to his palace where they were assassinated. As Vitellius murdered his rivals, the legions in Egypt, Judaea, and Syria acclaimed Vespasian as emperor on July 1. The Danube legions acclaimed him emperor in August and then invaded Italy. In October, Vitellius was defeated. He attempted to negotiate peace by bribery and force but he was captured and executed. The Senate recognized Vespasian as emperor on 21 December 69.The Roman Civil War AD 68 - 69

Nero, 13 October 54 - 9 June 68 A.D., SPQR (Vindex?) Countermark

|Nero|, |Nero,| |13| |October| |54| |-| |9| |June| |68| |A.D.,| |SPQR| |(Vindex?)| |Countermark||as|
Legend claims Nero fiddled while Rome burned. While this rumor is probably not true, Nero did sing and play the lyre at other times. He even composed songs that were performed by entertainers across the empire. At first, Nero only performed for private audiences, but in 64, when this coin was struck, he began singing in public in Neapolis. Nero craved the attention, but also he was encouraged to perform in public by the Senate, his inner circle and the people. Nero's famous dying words were "Qualis artifex pereo," which translates, "What an artist dies in me!"

The S P Q R countermarks were applied by Gallic rebels probably under Vindex. They appear on Lugdunum mint sestertii, dupondii and asses of Nero.
RB86167. Orichalcum as, RIC I 454, Mac Dowall WCN 570, BnF II 110, Cohen I 244, BMCRE I -, Hunter I -, SRCV I -; c/m: Pangerl 26, F, some legend unstruck, pitting, weight 10.457 g, maximum diameter 28.7 mm, die axis 195o, Lugdunum (Lyon, France) mint, 65 A.D.; obverse NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG - GERM P M TR P IMP P P, bare head right, globe at point of neck; countermark: S P Q R in a rectangular punch (on neck); reverse PONTIF MAX - TR POT IMP P P (high priest, holder of Tribunitian power, imperator, father of the country), Nero as Apollo Citharoedus, advancing right in flowing robes, singing and playing the lyre, S - C (senatus consulto) flanking across field, I (mark of value) in exergue; from the Lucas Harsh Collection, ex Incitatus Coins (2012); very rare variety with the same titles in the obverse and reverse legends; SOLD


Agrippa, Struck Under his Grandson Caligula, 38 A.D.; Countermark: Moesia or Thrace, Civil War, 68 - 69 A.D.

|Countermarked|, |Agrippa,| |Struck| |Under| |his| |Grandson| |Caligula,| |38| |A.D.;| |Countermark:| |Moesia| |or| |Thrace,| |Civil| |War,| |68| |-| |69| |A.D.||as|
Pangerl (Pangerl 87) attributes this P R countermark to Moesia or Thrace and dates it to the Roman civil war of 68 - 69 A.D. He interprets it to abbreviate Populus Romanus. Howgego (Howgego 599) lists a contemporary P R countermark (sometimes retrograde) that was applied in Syria, probably at Antioch. These use of P R was almost certainly intended to suggest the support of the people of the Roman Empire for the revolt of Galba and Vindex.
CM91168. Copper as, RIC I Gaius 58, BMCRE II Tiberius 161, BnF II Caligula 77, Hunter I 1, Cohen I 3, SRCV I 1812; Countermark: Pangerl 87 (Moesia or Thrace, 68 - 69), coin: aF; countermark: VF, right edge punch appears to have been broken, weight 8.946 g, maximum diameter 27.9 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, coin: 38, countermark: c. 68 - 69; obverse M AGRIPPA L F COS III, head left wearing a rostral crown; countermark: P R (Populi Romani - People of Rome) in a rectangular punch; reverse Neptune standing facing, head left, nude but for cloak draped over arms, dolphin in right hand, trident vertical in left hand, large S - C (senatus consulto) flanking across field; scarce countermark; SOLD


Roman Civil War, April 68 - December 69 A.D., Restitution of Augustus

|Civil| |War| |of| |68| |-| |69|, |Roman| |Civil| |War,| |April| |68| |-| |December| |69| |A.D.,| |Restitution| |of| |Augustus||denarius|
This type was struck in Spain or Gaul during the Roman civil war of 68 - 69 A.D., begun as a revolt against Nero and continuing through The Year of the Four Emperors, when Rome was ruled in rapid succession by Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian. The type copies a denarius type struck by Augustus, at Caesaraugusta (Zaragoza, Spain) in 19 - 18 B.C. A comet, "The Julian Star," appeared in the sky during the funeral games for Julius Caesar in July 44 B.C. The Romans believed it was a divine manifestation of the apotheosis of Julius Caesar.The Roman Civil War AD 68 - 69
RS89182. Silver denarius, RIC I Civil War 92 (R3); RSC II Civil War 98a; BMCRE p. 301, 49 - 50; Martin AM A10; BnF -, Fair, weight 2.594 g, maximum diameter 17.8 mm, Spain or Gaul mint, Apr 68 - Dec 69 A.D.; obverse CAESAR AVGVSTVS, head of Augustus left, wearing oak wreath (corona civitas); reverse comet of eight rays, a central dot and flaming tail upwards, DIVVS - IVLIVS horizontal divided flanking across the field at center; very rare; SOLD


Revolt Against Nero, Gaius Iulius Vindex, Governor of Gallia Lugdunensis, c. Late 67 - May 68 A.D.

|Civil| |War| |of| |68| |-| |69|, |Revolt| |Against| |Nero,| |Gaius| |Iulius| |Vindex,| |Governor| |of| |Gallia| |Lugdunensis,| |c.| |Late| |67| |-| |May| |68| |A.D.||denarius|
Struck by Gaius Iulius Vindex, the Roman governor of Gallia Lugdunensis, who rebelled against Nero's tax policy and declared allegiance to Galba, the governor of Hispania Tarraconensis, as the new emperor. Vindex was defeated and killed in battle near Vesontio (modern Besancon), but the military continued to support Galba. On 9 June 68, deserted by the Praetorian Guard, Nero stabbed himself in the throat.
RS88405. Silver denarius, Unpublished, civil war restitution of Augustus, only three examples known to Forum, all share the same obverse die, two reverse dies known, VF, rainbow toning, lamination defects, porosity, scratches, edge split, weight 3.280 g, maximum diameter 20.4 mm, die axis 0o, uncertain (Lugdunum?) mint, c. late 67 - May 68 A.D.; obverse [CAESAR], bare head of Augustus right; reverse AVGVSTVS, young bull walking right, head turned facing; found in Spain; SOLD


Roman Civil Wars, Revolt of Galba, Governor of Spain, April - June 68 A.D.

|Civil| |War| |of| |68| |-| |69|, |Roman| |Civil| |Wars,| |Revolt| |of| |Galba,| |Governor| |of| |Spain,| |April| |-| |June| |68| |A.D.||denarius|
Galba lived in Tarraco for eight years. This coin was issued by Galba as governor of Spain in revolt against Nero. The obverse is copied from Republican denarii struck in 62 B.C. by the moneyer L. Scribonius Libo.
SH63560. Silver denarius, RIC I 9 (R4), RSC II 396, BMCRE I 9, SRCV I 2072, F, toned, weight 3.515 g, maximum diameter 17.7 mm, die axis 225o, Tarraco(?) mint, Apr - Jun 68 A.D.; obverse BON EVENT, young female head (Bonus Eventus) right, fillet around forehead; reverse ROM RENASC, Roma standing right in military garb, Victory on globe in right hand, eagle-tipped scepter over left shoulder in left; bargain priced for this interesting R4 rarity implying the restoration of the Republic!, from the Jyrki Muona Collection; very rare (R4); SOLD


Revolt Against Nero, Gaius Iulius Vindex, Governor of Gallia Lugdunensis, c. Late 67 - May 68 A.D.

|Civil| |War| |of| |68| |-| |69|, |Revolt| |Against| |Nero,| |Gaius| |Iulius| |Vindex,| |Governor| |of| |Gallia| |Lugdunensis,| |c.| |Late| |67| |-| |May| |68| |A.D.||denarius|
Struck by Gaius Iulius Vindex, the Roman governor of Gallia Lugdunensis, who rebelled against Nero's tax policy and declared allegiance to Galba, the governor of Hispania Tarraconensis, as the new emperor. Vindex was defeated and killed in battle near Vesontio (modern Besancon, France), but the military continued to support Galba. On 9 June 68, deserted by the Praetorian Guard, Nero stabbed himself in the throat.
SH71867. Silver denarius, Unpublished, civil war restitution of Augustus, gF, porosity, marks, weight 3.167 g, maximum diameter 19.0 mm, die axis 180o, uncertain (Lugdunum?) mint, c. late 67 - May 68 A.D.; obverse CAESAR, bare head of Augustus right; reverse AVGVSTVS, young bull walking right, head turned facing; ex Roma Numismatics e-auction 6, lot 321; SOLD


Roman Civil War, Vitellius, c. 69 A.D.

|Civil| |War| |of| |68| |-| |69|, |Roman| |Civil| |War,| |Vitellius,| |c.| |69| |A.D.
||denarius|
This coin is M71 in Butcher, K. & M. Pointing, The Metallurgy of Roman Silver Coinage: From the Reform of Nero to the Reform of Trajan (Cambridge, 2015). There is a tiny drill hole on the edge where silver was extracted for testing. This was an important coin in the study, with test results indicating 93.9% silver bullion and Gallic isotope ratios strongly suggesting similarity with other Vitellius coins from Gallia, not coins minted for Galba.
RS86684. Silver denarius, Butcher-Pointing M71 (this coin), RIC I Civil Wars 121, BMCRE I 65, RSC I Galba 363, BnF I 75, Martin 7, EF, toned, tight flan, light corrosion, test drill hole on edge, weight 3.127 g, maximum diameter 17.5 mm, die axis 180o, Southern Gaul(?) mint, c. 69 A.D.; obverse clasped hands, FIDES above, EXERCITVVM below; reverse clasped hands, FIDES above, PRAETORIANORVM curving along the edge below; from the Jyrki Muona Collection, ex Helios, auction 4 (Munich, 14 Oct 2009), lot 270; ex Coll. A. Lynn collection; ex Classical Numismatic Group, auction 54 (14 June 2000), lot 1484; ex P. DeVicci collection; rare; SOLD


Revolt Against Nero, Gaius Iulius Vindex, Governor of Gallia, Late 67 - May 68 A.D., In the Name and Types of Augustus

|Civil| |War| |of| |68| |-| |69|, |Revolt| |Against| |Nero,| |Gaius| |Iulius| |Vindex,| |Governor| |of| |Gallia,| |Late| |67| |-| |May| |68| |A.D.,| |In| |the| |Name| |and| |Types| |of| |Augustus||denarius|
This denarius, along with other Augustus types, is recognized as having been struck during the uprising of Vindex primarily from their weight and unusual style. Whereas the denarii struck during Augustus' lifetime were made to a standard of approximately 3.8g, Neronian denarii were closer to 3.5g, this weight continuing in use through the Civil War. Click to see a larger image.
SL94478. Silver denarius, The name and types of Augustus, RSC I p. 29, 21a, BMCRE I p. 300, 47; BnF I p. 28, 48; RIC I p. 210, 82 (R3) var. (rudder); SRCV I 2064 var. (same), NGC VF, strike 4/5, surface 2/5 (5770028-015), weight 3.507 g, maximum diameter 18.1 mm, die axis 90o, uncertain in Spain or Gaul mint, c. 68 A.D.; obverse bare head of Augustus right, linear border, anepigraphic; reverse capricorn right, filleted cornucopia overflowing with grain and fruit on its back, celestial globe held between hooves (no rudder), AVGVSTVS below, linear border; from an Israeli collection, ex Roma Numismatics e-auction 3 (25 Oct 2018), lot 650; NGC| Lookup; rare; SOLD


Revolt Against Nero, Gaius Iulius Vindex, Governor of Gallia Lugdunensis, c. Late 67 - May 68 A.D.

|Civil| |War| |of| |68| |-| |69|, |Revolt| |Against| |Nero,| |Gaius| |Iulius| |Vindex,| |Governor| |of| |Gallia| |Lugdunensis,| |c.| |Late| |67| |-| |May| |68| |A.D.||denarius|
Struck by Gaius Iulius Vindex, the Roman governor of Gallia Lugdunensis, who rebelled against Nero's tax policy and declared allegiance to Galba, the governor of Hispania Tarraconensis, as the new emperor. Vindex was defeated and killed in battle near Vesontio (modern Besancon), but the military continued to support Galba. On 9 June 68, deserted by the Praetorian Guard, Nero stabbed himself in the throat.
SH71868. Silver denarius, Unpublished, civil war restitution of Augustus, VF, rough, scrapes, weight 3.144 g, maximum diameter 18.2 mm, die axis 180o, uncertain (Lugdunum?) mint, c. late 67 - May 68 A.D.; obverse CAESAR, bare head of Augustus right; reverse AVGVSTVS, young bull walking right, head turned facing; SOLD








You are viewing a SOLD items page.
Click here to return to the page with AVAILABLE items.
The sale price for a sold item is the private information of the buyer and will not be provided.



REFERENCES|

American Numismatic Society (ANS) Collections Database Online - http://numismatics.org/search/search
Banti, A. & L. Simonetti. Corpus Nummorum Romanorum. (Florence, 1972-1979).
Burnett, A., M. Amandry & P. Ripollès. Roman Provincial Coinage I: From the death of Caesar to the death of Vitellius (44 BC-AD 69). (London, 1992 and supplement).
Calicó, X. The Roman Avrei, Vol. I: From the Republic to Pertinax, 196 BC - 193 AD. (Barcelona, 2003).
Cohen, H. Description historique des monnaies frappées sous l'Empire Romain, Vol. 1: Pompey to Domitian. (Paris, 1880).
Giard, J. Le monnayage de l'atelier de Lyon, De Claude Ier à Vespasien (41-78 après J.-C.), et au temps de Clodius Albinus (196-197 après J.-C.). (Wetteren, 2000).
Giard, J. Bibliothèque National Catalogue Monnaies de L'Empire Romain II: De Tebère à Néron. (Paris, 1988).
King, C. Roman Quinarii from the Republic to Diocletian and the Tetrarchy. (Oxford, 2007).
Kraay, C. "The Coinage of Vindex and Galba, A.D. 68, and the Continuity of the Augustan Principate" in NC 1949, pp. 129-149.
Mac Dowall, D. The Western Coinages of Nero. ANSNNM 161. (New York, 1979).
Mattingly, H. & R. Carson. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Vol 1: Augustus to Vitellius. (London, 1923).
Robinson, A. Roman Imperial Coins in the Hunter Coin Cabinet, University of Glasgow, Vol. I. Augustus to Nerva. (Oxford, 1962).
Seaby, H. & R. Loosley. Roman Silver Coins, Vol. II: Tiberius to Commodus. (London, 1979).
Sear, D. Roman Coins and Their Values, The Millennium Edition, Volume One, The Republic and the Twelve Caesars 280 BC - AD 86. (London, 2000).
Sutherland, C. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Vol. I, From 39 BC to AD 69. (London, 1984).
Toynbee, J. Roman medallions. ANSNS 5. (New York, 1944).
Vagi, D. Coinage and History of the Roman Empire. (Sidney, 1999).

Catalog current as of Thursday, March 28, 2024.
Page created in 1.126 seconds.
All coins are guaranteed for eternity