Reece Period attributed: Period 10
Member of the The Severans dynasty.
Coins for this issuer were issued from 198 until 217.
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus was born in AD 188, the elder son of Septimius Severus and Julia Domna. He quarrelled bitterly with his younger brother, Geta, throughout his youth. In 198, Severus gave Caracalla the title of Augustus. As Severus ailed, Caracalla angled to succeed him. Julia Domna, however, thwarted his plans, and the brothers became dual emperors when Severus died.
Caracalla and Geta didn’t share the power well, and built up opposing factions. Both had a reputation for cruelty and lack of scruples. After ten months of co-rule, Caracalla murdered his brother, but told the Senate that he did it in self-defence because Geta was trying to poison him. The Senate didn’t really believe him, and when Caracalla began killing off Geta’s supporters, they were further estranged.
Caracalla got his nickname from his preference for a certain type of garment, the caracullus, of German or Celtic origin. This was a close-fitting hooded garment made of many small pieces of cloth. He is also remembered for his immense bathing complex, the remains of which still stand in Rome.
This emperor shed plenty of unnecessary blood, from Geta’s supporters to a massacre of Alexandrians and a surprise attack on the Parthians. While Caracalla was in the East, a plot for his assassination was hatched; the commander of troops in Rome tried to warn the emperor, but Julia Domna intercepted the letter. He was murdered while pulling down his trousers to relieve himself.
We have recorded 584 examples.
Record: OXON-B3CEA2
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: A Roman silver denarius depicting Caracall…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Record: SUR-D7BD0E
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: An incomplete Roman plated silver denarius…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Record: GLO-A39061
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: A heavily worn silver Denarius of Caracall…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Record: PUBLIC-10DD65
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: A complete Roman silver denarius of Caraca…
Workflow: Published
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This video has been embedded from Adrian Murdoch's series of podcasts on the Emperors of Rome. Many thanks to him for allowing us to use these podcasts.