Hello, No still a coin bought in 2015. I bought this coin, because Caracalla looks really like a not a emperor to mash with. See some information from Prieur.
yes, then he was still a nice boy before he thought to wipe out all his relatives and many others...nice action from Macrinus to arrange something for him when he was taking a leak in Syria )
Yes, here's Caracalla (born 188 AD) on a coin from 201, and one from about 216. Caracalla was one of the most loathsome and cruel emperors of his age, although you must always bear in mind that his story was written by his enemies, as with many classical monster emperors. But he certainly was a paranoid murderer, starting with his brother Geta.
AR Denarius (201), reverse showing two Parthian captives and a ludicrous trophy. 18 mm, 3,10 gr. AR Tetradrachm, Hierapolis, Cyrrhestica, reverse with the obligatory eagle, a lion between its paws. 215-217. 27,5 mm, 14,5 gr.
Well yes, that Syrian mountain lion (a race now extinct) looks just a little bit like the sceatta quadrupeds from Britain.
Dear Pellinore, You have a nice Caracalla from Hierapolis, I got a few but not this example, very good. And welcome to the forum, do you have more interesting Syrian tets?
oooooooooo forget, still morning here, my eye always want these with the large lion on the reverse, there are great. Still not able to get one, only with the small lion.
Wow, Pellimore => I agree with the gang => that reverse with the eagle and lion is amazing!! (I'm very jealous of that sweet Caracalla winner!!)
oh gawd, I've waited long enough, right? => I can't resist myself every time I see a Caracalla thread (please forgive me) ... ... man, I would "love" to add that sweet eagle & lion coin to my examples Congrats to Cyrrhus, Bing and Pellimore for all of your sweet thread-offerings! We really do have some pretty cool coins, eh? (cheers in 2016, my coin-friends)
Well, I don't have any other Syrian tetradrachms, I think, maybe I should try and find some. I have some (later and smaller) Egypt ones with fine portraits, but hard to make a picture of.
For the record, try to find Alexandrian coins from this period. It is like they started making the Syrians and stopped minting in Egypt.
My most recent tet is also one of these large-bust types of Caracalla, but from Tyre. This coin is very darkly toned. I think the minters may have accidentally poured a little too much copper into this batch, like when you're salting your food and the cap on the shaker falls off...
Caracalla wasn't always portrayed as mean in his adult coinage. Towards the very end of his reign, his portraits became quite pleasant. You can see here in this coin struck in the few months to weeks prior to his death that he was reforming his image. Unfortunately, he should have kept the mean portraits that conveyed the message "Don't mess with me," as it worked well to keep him alive for 20 years. This whole nicer, kinder Caracalla did not work as well. Case in point, not long after this "nicer" Caracalla coinage came out, he turned his back on some soldiers to relieve himself, and before he could empty his bladder he ended up with a knife in his back.
