Even though this coin of Macrinus does not specifically carry the inscription, FIDES MILITVM, it's clear from her attributes that the figure on the reverse is Fides Militum. Fides militum means "the loyalty of the soldiers" in Latin. Macrinus, AD 217-218. Roman AR denarius, 2.94 g, 19.5 mm, 6 h. Rome, AD 217. Obv: IMP C M OPEL SEV MACRINVS AVG, laureate and cuirassed bust, right. Rev: PONTIF MAX TR P COS P P, Fides Militum standing facing, head right, right foot on helmet and holding a military standard in each hand. Refs: RIC 22A; BMCRE 38; Cohen 60; RCV 7345; ERIC II 69. For Macrinus, the coin better reflected wishful thinking than reality. Macrinus' relationship with the army was quite good at first, even though he was not a military man. He was a lawyer, a civil servant, and courtier to Septimius Severus. Ultimately, he was appointed praetorian prefect by Caracalla. As such, not only was he the commander of the emperor's personal guard, he also commanded the Second Legion Parthica, which was garrisoned in Alba near Rome and was the empire's strategic reserve. Trouble began, though, in AD 216, when Caracalla took it upon himself to invade Parthia. The Roman army, including the imperial guard, II Parthica, and Macrinus, marched to the east, reached Nisibis, crossed the river Tigris, and invaded Adiabene. Macrinus seems to have played an important role, because when the emperor returned to his winter quarters in Edessa, he received the title of vir clarissimus and the right to wear the emblems of a consul. What happened next is unclear. Dio reports that Macrinus discovered that Caracalla wanted to get rid of him, but many details remain obscure. In any case, by the spring of 217, Macrinus was no longer in charge of II Parthica. On the eighth of April, Caracalla and his courtiers made a brief trip to the world famous temple of the moon god Sin of Harran. When Caracalla halted to go to the latrine, he was assassinated by one of his bodyguards, Julius Martialis, who had a private grudge against the ruler, because he had not been given the post of centurion. Our sources all agree that Macrinus was behind the attack. Caracalla, being childless, had been the last of his line. Since he was hated by the senate, he had not risked appointing an heir whom his enemies would immediately have rallied behind. Therefore his death left a power vacuum at the top. After some deliberation, the army decided to back Macrinus simply because they couldn't think of anyone better. The senate also accepted Macrinus as emperor, partly because Macrinus had always been deferential to it, and mostly because he was not Caracalla. Macrinus gave the army a large donative to the army on his accession, which was essential to secure the goodwill of the soldiers. However, this fides militum was not to last. The war took a turn for the worse when the Romans engaged the Parthians in a major battle near Nisibis. But Macrinus' commanders were more intent on avoiding defeat than in securing victory. The battle was a draw, though the enemies of Macrinus preferred to paint it as a defeat, comparing it unfavorably with the run of successes enjoyed by Septimius Severus against the same enemy. Macrinus made the decision to cut his losses and get out of the war by proposing a truce with the Parthians. The Parthian king accepted Macrinus' offer of peace in exchange for a huge cash payment, and in return allowed Macrinus to place his choice of client king upon the throne of Armenia. (It is uncertain that this cash payment was ever made.) None of this sat well with the army. To make matters worse, Macrinus, ever the conscientious administrator, decided to recoup some of his financial losses from military wages. He was not so foolish as to cut the pay of serving soldiers, but he lowered the starting salary for new recruits. Macrinus may have felt that this cut was compensated by a financial reform -- he slightly increased the silver content of the denarius and may have hoped that the increased purchasing power compensated in part for the cut in recruits' pay. The army instead noted only an unsuccessful battle, peace without victory (and more importantly, without booty) and a pay cut. Meanwhile, in the east, Septimius Severus' sister-in-law, Julia Maesa, was funding efforts to place her grandson, Elagabalus, on the throne. Maesa went with her grandson and a large cash payment to the camp of III Gallica, a pro-Severan legion based between Antioch and Damascus. On May 16, 218, the legion became the first to declare Elagabalus emperor, beginning yet another civil war. Macrinus responded by sending his Praetorian prefect and the legion II Parthica to suppress the revolt. He also promoted his own son Diadumenian to the rank of Caesar. Even though Macrinus had commanded II Parthica a few years previously, his soldiers killed the Prefect and promptly joined III Gallica in rebellion. With Julia Maesa's rebel army advancing on Antioch and more defections occurring daily, Macrinus tried to make a stand. On June 8, 218, he met the rebels in battle, and despite having more experienced troops and superior commanders, his unmotivated and demoralized army was soundly defeated. Macrinus had already sent Diadumenian to seek safety in Parthia under the guise of an embassy. He knew that his only chance at survival was to escape to the west and attempt to rally the legions there. After shaving his head and beard, Macrinus set off westward disguised as a courier. He got as far as Chalcedon on the coast of Bithynia before he was arrested. His son had also failed to escape, and the pair were executed. So much for fides militum! Post your coins with reverse types that were nothing but political spin or post your coins of Macrinus or anything you feel is relevant!
GREAT write-up @Roman Collector ! Succinct, yet with great detail. Thanks! MACRINUS RI Macrinus 217-218 AE25 CE Facing Quadriga DIDUMENIAN RI Didumenian and Macrinus 217-218 CE AE28 Markianopolis mint Serapis
Here's a Maximinus Thrax with the same reverse. Well, they were loyal for awhile, until they weren't!
I always considered the poor Diadumenian as a ‘collateral victim’ of this civil war. He was executed at 9 years old, and according to the ‘Encyclopedia of the Roman Empire’, his head was brought to Elagabalus, and reportedly kept as a trophy... Diadumenian Ae As, Antioch Syria, Seleucus & Pieria
