My favorite Roman portrait - Caracalla

Caracalla coins are fun:

 

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Blast! Was going to post a bunch of pictures. Here they are:









(This last image is by cgb - I’ve had the coin for a year now, but still haven’t gotten round to photographing it...)

 

Caracalla denarius

ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM
Laur. bearded bust right

PM TR P XVII COS IIII PP
Genius standing left with branch and baton


Rome 215 AD

Sear 6833
Ric 246

 

That's a great portrait @Finn235 ! Caracalla sure doesn't look like a very pleasant fellow does he?

This is my favorite Caracalla, a provincial where he looks like a perfectly nice young man.



Caracalla, Caesar 196-198 AD, Assarion, Nicopolis ad Istrum

O: MAR AU KA - ANTWNI, bust right. R: NIKOPOLIT PROS ISTRON. basket of fruit. 18 mm, 2.9 g

Oh course later in high school he picked up Slayer's Reign in Blood album and things went South....of Heaven.

 

This sestertius is my entry in the cute Caracalla contest.

The reverse legend SECVRITAS PERPETVA guaranteed that things would go well forever even after the dreamer Septimius was gone.

The Alexandrian drachm below is LKB or about the time of his little problem in Alexandria. He doesn't look all that malicious, does he?


Was Geta just too good looking to live?

 

I like this one because he looks like a real thug! It's the furrowed brow, I think.


Caracalla AD 198-217.
Roman AR Denarius 3.37 g, 19.7 mm.
Rome mint, AD 211.
Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG BRIT, laureate head, right.
Rev: INDVLG FECVNDAE, Julia Domna as Indulgentia, wearing polos, seated left on cerule chair, extending right hand and holding scepter.
Refs: RIC 214; BMCRE 73; RCV 6805.

 

Very nice!..

 

Some great Caracallas!

Here's my example



ANTONINVS PIVS AVG. Head of Caracalla, laureate, right. PONTIF TR P X COS II. Caracalla, in military attire, standing right, left foot on helmet, holding spear in right hand and parazonium in left hand. References: RIC IV Caracalla 95

 

Great coins @FitzNigel - and that architectural bronze provincial is really cool!

 

It has a little wear on the beard but I've always liked this portrait of Caracalla from 213. I got it for less than $20 too.... man I love ancient coins. It has a MONETA AVG reverse. RIC 224.

(PS: Sorry for the large image size... I didn't realize how large it was until I posted it!)

 

To which are you referring? I’m afraid I don’t have any architectural pieces (would love to get some...)

 

My understanding is that Geta was much more civilized. While Caracalla was with pops, Septimius, and the troops, Geta was with the Senate and the intelligentsia of Rome. The people loved Geta, hence his brothers jealousy. There is even a story of Crazy-calla riding up on his father in camp attempting to attack him. Caracalla fumbled and then tried to play it off like a joke. But the troops didn't buy it until Septimius calmed them down. Shepy knew his boy was Michael Myers crazy and so ordered that his sons be co-emperors. This was the first time in empirial history that 2 hereditary co-rulers were instituted simultaneously.
We'll never know for sure. But I have to believe that it was a great loss to Rome (and humanity) when Geta was duped into meeting up at mom's house to "reconcile" things on that fateful day.
Here are the boys before all that. Just a couple of goofy, chubby cheeked kids. I really like boths patina and similar reverses. One can here Caracalla through the ages saying, "Mom! Tell Geta to stop copying me and get his own reverse!!"

GETA
Caespont/Felicitas publica


Caracalla
Felicitas augg

 

I thought I saw a temple on one coin, but re-checking there isn't one...my bad. I guess my eyes were playing tricks on me.

 

I have always been impressed by the number of Geta reverses that were not used by Caracalla or Septimius. I wonder if he showed a personal interest in the subject that Caracalla did not.

 

”The boys” together in happier times:


RIC Vol. IV, CARACALLA, Denarius, No. 231a

Obverse: Caracalla, Laureate head facing right
Inscription clockwise from bottom: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG BRIT
Reverse: winged Victory advancing right holding trophy
Inscription: VICTORIAE BRIT


RIC Vol. IV, GETA, Denarius, No. 91

Obverse: Geta, Laureate head facing right
Inscription clockwise from bottom: P SEPT GETA PIVS AVG BRIT
Reverse: Victory standing left holding wreath and palm branch
Inscription: VICTORIAE BRIT

 

ahaha...who don't like a Caracalla coin and sum down home punk banjo music?! i hail from the Ozark hills meself..Caracalla provincial, Markianopolis , The Dillards, Salem Mo. aka "The Darlings" The Andy Griffith Show.

 

Here's a nice portrait for a provincial issue:


Caracalla, AD 198-217.
Roman provincial Æ 28.3 mm, 13.70 g, 8 h.
Thrace, Serdica, AD 198-217.
Obv: AVT K M AVP CEVH ANTΩNEINOC, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust, right, seen from behind.
Rev: ΟVΛΠΙΑC CΕPΔΙΚΗC, Hercules standing right, forearm draped with lion skin, holding club set on ground and bow.
Refs: Ruzicka Serdica 266; Moushmov Serdica 397; Moushmov 4912; Varbanov 2355; cf. BMC 3.173,15.

 

What a fantastic thread! Here are my two favourite Caracalla portraits:

 

That is indeed a mighty fine portrait!