Ancients - Grumpy Caracalla

I don't know what my fascination with this guy is all about, but it seems I'm always attracted to his coins when I see them. Without a doubt, it was the portrait that convinced me to make this purchase. I had some trouble attributing this particular provincial, but in the end I had a lot of help from some of the members on this forum as well as Forum Ancient Coins.

CARACALLA AE23
OBVERSE: Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind
REVERSE: NIKOMHDEΩN ΔIC NEΩKOPΩN, Tyche standing left, holding rudder and cornucopia
Struck at BITHYNIA, Nicomedia, 198-217 AD
7.1g, 23mm
RG 234; WADD RG S546,234(1-3)

Caracalla: Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus Augustus was the popular nickname of Antoninus (4 April 188 – 8 April 217), Roman emperor of Punic and Syrian descent from 198 to 217. The eldest son of Septimius Severus, he reigned jointly with his father from 198 until Severus' death in 211. For a short time he then ruled jointly with his younger brother Geta until he had him murdered later in 211. Caracalla is remembered as one of the most notorious and unpleasant of emperors because of the massacres and persecutions he authorized and instigated throughout the Empire.

 

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I was hoping you'd get that coin! It really is a great provincial. I'll share my recent S. Severus of Nikopolis with a similar Tyche, only holding patera...

 

Nice addition, his portraits are some of the more expressive. I wouldnt wanna live during his reign, or work for him.

 

awesome bing, that's a great obverse bust of caracalla.

here a pentassaria of caracalla and tyche where he looks happy...with him mom.

 

Very cool new addition, my good man ... great snag!!

... this is my only Caracalla example ...

Caracalla AR Antoninianus
Rome mint
198-217 A.D.
Struck AD 215
Diameter: 24 mm
Weight: 5.19 grams
Obverse: Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right
Reverse: Radiate / Luna driving biga of oxen left

 

Those coins are great, Steve's antoninianus is outstanding
For me, what I prefer with Caracalla is his wife, Plautilla

Q

 

Sexist?

 

Sexist ?
No !
Certainly not !
But I find Plautilla way more attractive than Caracalla, from an aesthetic point of view (lol)

Q

 

Without a doubt. The one coin I have with her portrait makes her out as very pretty. Too bad she had such a bad life because of Caracalla.

 

I think Geta had the worst life due to Caracalla

 

Here is a first year of issue (Year XVIII = 215 AD) for the radiate denomination we now call an antoninianus (after Caracalla--see his name in the obverse legend):


Serapis standing facing, head left, wearing polos, raising right hand and holding scepter.
A "grumpy" sour face.
24-23 mm. Sear 6772. Rome mint.

 

Great new pickup, Bing... I love Caracalla portraits!

This is my current favorite from the younger, non-grumpy period and in a style I really like.



CARACALLA
AR Denarius
3.2g, 18.9mm
Rome mint, 209 AD
RIC 111; Sear 6868
O: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, laureate youthful and bearded head right.
R: PONTIF TR P XII COS III, Concordia seated left, holding patera and double cornucopiae.

 

Great lookin' coin jw, i have one awesome Caracalla that i got from you, Thanks.... could find the coin pic. so i thought i'd show you a 30lb King Salmon, one of many that i caught this Fall. need to come out next year and get your Salmon on...

 

That's awesome, Eng ... huh. it's lookin' like a typical drizzly November day, eh?

=> yup, I'm homesick!!

 

Tell me when. I just might make the journey for that kind of fishing.

 

I like Carcalla a lot too. Quite a different portrait than his Bro.

 

Even Caracalla has been a cute young lad, but that was before...

This denarius is "twined" with it's equivalent for Plautilla, showing the same reverse. They both have been minted AD 202 on the occasion of their marriage.


Caracalla, Denarius Rome mint, AD 202
ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, Laureate and draped bust of Caracalla right
CONCORDIA FELIX, Caracalla and Plautilla face to face, shaking hands
3.34 gr
Ref : RCV # 6794 (160), RSC # 23, RIC # 124a


Plautilla, Denarius Rome mint
PLAVTILLA AVGVSTA, draped bust right
CONCORDIA FELIX, Caracalla and Plautilla face to face, shaking hands
3.30 gr
Ref : RCV #7066 var, RSC # 12, RIC # 365b, BMC # 419, Hill # 584

Q

 

I only have two of Caracalla and one was an incidental purchase found in a mixed lot (the denarius). He has so many interesting coins; I expect to buy more in the future.

His expression is not particularly grumpy or mean in either coin although he looks a bit constipated on the provincial

I'd like to get an example of his innocent boy portrait and his super-mean portrait.

 

Eng got himself a river monster. OH!

 

Such a cute little boy! His parents should have sent him to a military academy.