[12] And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks: [13] And in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, one like to the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the feet, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. [14] And his head and his hairs were white, as white wool, and as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire, [15] And his feet like unto fine brass, as in a burning furnace. And his voice as the sound of many waters.This is in the tone of other apocalyptic works of the Bible and is filled with allegory as is the entire book of the Apocalypse
Rev 1:12-13 talks of "seeing" a voice -- similar to Daniel 7:11 when then sees "one like a son of man" -- and the 7 golden candlesticks are the menorah, but note that Jesus is in the center of this menorah -- Christ is the light of the world
this links to Daniel 7 which tells of 4 beasts that are four kingdoms that will persecute the Jews from the time of Nebuchadnezzar
- Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian empire
- The Medo-Persian empire - though with the exception of Hamam (a notable one), this is a benevolent empire for the jews
- the Macedonian empire
- the Roman Empire
The lothed with a garment down to the feet, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. are high priest vestments
The rest is imagery - eyes like a flame of fire etc
And, like in Daniel - beasts from the "sea" are foreign nations, while beasts from the "land" are the local Judean rulers
The book is also clear about the 7 heads - the 7 rulers -- and Galba
was emperor for 8 June 68 – 15 January 69 (7 months)