Featured OTD: Caracalla's nurse could tell right away that he was bad to the throne

That's right! 1,831 years ago that absolute maniac is born.


Looking at him, who could've guessed such a mad man lay underneath the exterior of such a mad looking man???
I know, I know. It's hard to judge someone nearly 2,000 years after the fact. But, as they say, class tells ever time. And his shown again and again.
Attempts to kill father in front of troops, then changes mind.
Kills own brother in momma Domna's arms (that's gonna leave scares for lifetimes).


And due to a few Greeks defacing a statue of him, he killed, stated by some, 10,000 Greeks!
Enough about the good things he did. I joke. Calm down.
He did the considerably amazing thing known as the "Edict of Caracalla". Wherein he gave all free men the rights of a Roman citizen.
He was very known for the opulent baths that he built:



And the, maybe, even more amazing thing he did was die in 217 CE.



Caracalla

198-217 AD Silver Denarius (2.91 gm) Rome Mint Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG ; Laureate draped bust right. Rev: FELICITAS AVGG ; Felicitas standing left, holding caduceus & cornucopia. RIC IV 127 ; RSC 64



Caracalla

Thrace.Trajanopolis.
AD198-217. Æ
Obv: Caracalla
Rev: Eros rising dolphin
16mm., 2,99g.
nearly very fine



Caracalla, Caesar

196-198 Denarius (Silver, 19 mm, 2.92 g, 12 h), Laodicea, 198. M AVR ANTON CAES PONTIF Bare-headed, draped and cuirassed bust of Caracalla to right. Rev. SECVRITAS PERPETVA Securitas standing front, head left, holding inverted spear in left hand and resting with right on shield set on ground. BMC 459. Cohen 566. RIC 330. A scarce issue with an unusual bust type. Good very fine. Secret Saturlanlia gift



Caracalla


Roman ProvincialMesopotamia. Rhesaena. AD 211-217. Bronze Æ AYTOK ANTWN, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / III - C (retrograde), P - S, legionary vexillum. nearly very fine Castelin 9; BMC 2.

Some you love to hate (Caligula and Nero anyone) but then some just breed contempt...so please post those coins of all the different faces and phases of Caracalla!

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Dude really looks like a thug in this portrait. 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.

 

Caracalla


RI Caracalla 198-217 AR Quinarius CE 213 1.3g 13.6mm Laureate - Victory Wreath Palm RIC IV 101 RSC 450 RARE



RI Caracalla 198-217 AR Denarius MONETA

 

Worn reverse die on a very common coin, but I've yet to find a meaner looking portrait of the man



Also recently sprung for one of his eponymous Antoninianii

 

Caracalla i AE
Cute Caesar sestertius


Young Augustus as


Teen as


Adult but unusually pleasant as = TRP XVIII coins are often much more mean looking than this.


Last year of reign as - TRP XX portraits are often less wild that those a year or two before.

 

As far as I know, he was the only emperor to be murdered while he was peeing. Actually, he was the ONLY person I know of who was murdered while peeing! Who can claim such an accolade? Denarius of wife Plautilla and denarius of his brother Geta represent two of his victims.

 

Geez, you didn't even wish him Happy Birthday!

Many years ago I got locked in the Baths of Caracalla in Rome after closing time. (Eventually climbed out, but it took a while!)

In chronological order...

as Caesar:


198:

212:


215:

 

A cute little lad by the time of his marriage to Plautilla (202)



who, 8 years later looked like a determined strong young man/soldier (210)




who, six more years after, would scare anyone still alive around him (216)



Q

 

I'm a little late to the party, but I think these two Stevex6 Collection winners are good for any day of the year.


CARACALLA
Scarce. AR Antoninianus. 5.19g, 24mm. Rome mint, AD 215. RIC 245c; BMCRE 121. O: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. R: P M TR P XVIII COS IIII P P, Luna in biga of oxen galloping left, fold of drapery billowing in semicircle around head.
Ex Stevex6 Collection, CNG E-sale 297 (27 Feb 2013), lot 436; ex CNG E-sale 186 (16 Apr 2008) lot 197


CARACALLA
AR Denarius. 3.17g, 18.5mm. Rome mint, AD 201-202. RIC IV 120. O: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, laureate and draped bust right. R: ADVENT AVGG, galley sailing left; signum and aquila at stern.
Ex Stevex6 Collection, CNG E-Sale 352 (3 June 2015), lot 449; ex Dr. George Spradling Collection

 

Excellent denarius @Roman Collector! If I saw someone with that face walking down the street I would bet dollars to pennies that he had a ThugLife tattoo!

Oober cool Quinarius @Alegandron! I don't think I have seen one this late before. I certainly didn't think the quini was still being used at this point in history, led alone still being produced.
That look is no joke @Finn235. 1 scurrrry looking dude.


Love the Disneyified grouping of Caracalla @dougsmit! Judging from this grouping you would have thought that he was the type to carry a lil old ladies groceries across the street.
Great point (and coins) @octavius! Just like a warrior, dying with his sword in hand. Not to nit pick but are we sure it was just #1? The description that I recall is that they stabbed him to death as he relieved himself by the roadside.
Lovely portrait and toning @randygeki!
@Severus Alexander you cannot just give us a taste of a story like that!!!! How the heck did you find yourself locked in the baths of Caracalla?? And you had to climb out?!?!?! This sounds like it should be a thread unto itself!
And good point. Happy belated B-day Carrot-case-killa!
LOVE the slippery slide into madness @Cucumbor. It reminds me of one of my favorite Adam Sandler albums...

Golly @zumbly, with coins like those you can show up to the party whenever you darn well feel like it! Both have stunning reverses.

 

I'm not at liberty to reveal the details of my career as a spy. (Not much to tell, really... we just accidentally stayed past closing time!)

@Alegandron loves quinarii and has some quite a bit later than Caracalla. Here's my Diocletian (though according to some stories it's a denarius):

 

. Yuppers!!! Have several...here is a couple...


RI Vespasian 69-79 CE AR Quinarius IMP CAESAR VESPASIAN AVG Victory seated wreath palm RIC 802 RARE



RI Probus 276-282 CE BI Quinarius 2.80g Cohen 768

 

Young
Adult

 

CARACALLA
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG BRIT, laureate head right
REVERSE: P M TR P XIIII COS III P P, Pax running left holding branch & scepter
Struck at Rome, 211 AD
3.11g, 18mm
RIC 184, RSC 190, BMC 4

 

I like the coins of Caracalla. I have a number but here are two that i like
1. Sestertius Rv Mars stg. minted c. 211 A.D.
2. Denarius Rv Moneta stg. minted 213 A.D. What i like about this coin is the rather fierce expression on the face of Caracalla

 

Some great coins here. My Caracalla pursuits have been somewhat frustrating - being very price sensitive, I have found it difficult to land a late, scowly portrait denarius - I know they are out there, I just can't seem to luck into a real bargain. That's what I get for being a cheapskate. I have several pre-beard youthful denarii - these come up cheap from time to time.

I did, however, land an AE with the later, scowly portrait - an As featuring Serapis. I was happy to get it, as bronzes from this era seem to be a bit scarce:



Caracalla Æ As
(213 A.D.)
Rome Mint
[ANTONIN]VS PIVS AVG BRIT, laureate head right / PM TRP XVI COS IIII [P P] S C Serapis standing front, head to left, raising right hand, holding scepter in left hand.
RIC 505; BMC 257;
(9.33 grams / 22 mm)

 

Great coins everybody! I remember seeing somewhere an array of Caracalla obverses covering every year, from earliest issues as caesar to last year of his rule. It was great resource for dating provincial issues that otherwise very hard to place to a particular year. Unfortunately I cannot recall where I have seen it. If you guys know what I am talking about, can you please share a link? Thanks!