Caracalla legends

One of my own areas of specific interest are the coins of the emperor Caracalla. While I began collecting his coins almost by accident, simply because the first silver Roman coin I bought was a little beauty from the Laodicia mint, I became fascinated by the history behind his reign.

Born in Lugdunum,as Septimus Bassianus, he was renamed Marcus Aurelius Antoninus in 196 AD, but is most commonly known by the nickname "Caracalla", for his reported preference for wearing the caracallus, or hooded cloak favored by the Germanian tribes.

In 209 AD, his brother Geta was also raised to the rank of Augustus, a clear sign that their father intended them to rule the empire jointly after his own death. However, after the death of Severus in 211 AD, the thought of sharing the imperial power with his brother proved to be intolerable to Caracalla, and he had Geta murdered, just short of the one year anniversary of their joint reign.

The legends on these pages are taken directly from Roman Imperial Coinage IV, part 1, and are intended for use simply as a research tool for others interested in coins minted during Caracall's reign. Initially, I will be listing only the silver denarii struck at the Rome mint, but as time allows, I will most likely be adding bronze coins, and the mint at Laodicia. Any mistakes and/or omissions are strictly mine.