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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Roman Coins| ▸ |The Severan Period| ▸ |Caracalla||View Options:   | | | Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, better known as Caracalla, was the son of Septimius Severus and Julia Domna, born in 188 A.D. He was named Caesar in 196 and Augustus in 198. Shortly before his death, Severus advised his sons, "Agree with each other, give money to the soldiers and scorn all other men." But the brothers hated each other and soon Caracalla had Geta murdered and massacred thousands suspected of supporting him. Although a capable military commander, the actual running of the government was left to his mother. He gradually slipped more and more into paranoia and delusions of grandeur before being murdered on his way to an Eastern campaign aimed at fulfilling his belief that he was the reincarnation of Alexander the Great. |
Adventus reverse types commemorate the emperor's arrival at Rome, either at the commencement of his reign or on his return from a distance. In 202, Septimius Severus and his sons returned to Rome after a five year absence. Festivals were held to celebrate his six year reign. This type might have been minted either after their return or in advance to advertise they were traveling by sea and would be in Rome soon.RS114357. Silver denarius, RIC IV 120 (S); RSC III 3; BMCRE V p. 205, 267; SRCV II 6790; Hunter III -, Choice VF, well centered, flow lines, cute boy portrait, edge splits, weight 3.523 g, maximum diameter 19.0 mm, die axis 0o, Rome mint, 201 - 202 A.D.; obverse ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, boy's laureate and draped bust right; reverse ADVENT AVGG, war galley left on waves, ram, acrostolium and vexillum at the bow, five oarsmen and a steersman, Septimius Severus, Caracalla and Geta seated in the steersman's cabin, two standards and apluster at the stern; scarce; $160.00 (€150.40)
Caracalla, 28 January 198 - 8 April 217 A.D., Antiocheia, Pisidia
Paul of Tarsus gave his first sermon to the Gentiles (Acts 13:13-52) at Antiochia in Pisidia, and visited the city once on each of his missionary journeys, helping to make Antioch a center of early Christianity in Anatolia. Antioch in Pisidia is also known as Antiochia Caesareia and Antiochia in Phrygia. RP113937. Bronze AE 33, RPC Online V.3 (to be published; 4 spec.); Kryzanowska -; cf. BMC Lycia p. 182, 38 (diff. bust style); SNGvA 4933 (same), Choice F, large heavy flan, dark green - near black patina, mild porosity, weight 20.767 g, maximum diameter 33.1 mm, die axis 135o, Antioch in Pisidia (Yalvac, Turkey) mint, c. 209/210 A.D., Issue 3 (only "sestertii"); obverse IMP•CAES•M•AVR• - ANTONINVS AVG, laureate and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front and wearing aegis; reverse •COL CAES• - •ANTIOCH, the god Mên standing facing with head right, left foot on bucranium, column supporting left arm, upright staff in right hand, and Nike in outstretched left carrying a trophy over her shoulder; cock to left; S - R in inner fields; the present specimen of this unpublished variety will be included in the upcoming volume V.3 of RPC!; rare bust style; $150.00 (€141.00)
Felicitas was the goddess or personification of happiness, good fortune, and success. She played an important role in Rome's state religion during the empire and was frequently portrayed on coins. She became a prominent symbol of the wealth and prosperity of the Roman Empire.RS111590. Silver denarius, RIC IV 150, RSC III 282, BMCRE V 168, Hunter 39, SRCV II 7551, Choice aEF, well centered, frosty surfaces, some letters unstruck (filled dies?), edge splits, weight 2.674 g, maximum diameter 20.1 mm, die axis 315o, Rome mint, 219 - 220 A.D.; obverse IMP ANTONINVS AVG, laureate and draped bust right, seen from behind; reverse TEMPORVM FELICITAS, Felicitas standing half left, long caduceus before her in her right hand, cornucopia in left hand; ex Numismatik Naumann auction 124 (8 Jan 2023), lot 986 (part of); $120.00 (€112.80)
Caracalla, 28 January 198 - 8 April 217 A.D., Alabanda, Caria
The portrait countermarks of Caracalla and Geta (Howgego 39i & 39ii) are well-known on Alabandian Roman provincials from the standpoint of their occurrence, but not much is known on why they exist. Writing in Greek Imperial Countermarks (1985), Christopher Howgego notes simply, "It is impossible to read the letters on many of the countermarks. The countermarks are not found on the coins of Caracalla's sole reign (unlike cmk 52) and therefore probably belong to the joint reign of Caracalla and Geta." In part five of SNG Tübingen, however, we find two Severan coins of Alabanda probably marked with the bust of Julia Domna (nos. 3343 & 3346), in a manner similar to the other Severan countermarks. Also intriguing is the possibility of Severus within the obverse punch on BMC Caria 46, who looks both laureate and bearded, in addition to a letter on either side of the portrait which may read "C – E" rather than "G – E." In light of this evidence, one wonders if the purpose of the literal Howgego 39 family of marks was tied to an imperial visit to Alabanda or the anticipation of one.RP112699. Bronze AE 26, BMC Caria, p. 8, 46 (same dies); SNG Tüb 3345, 3346 corr. (leg. arrangement); McClean 8442; countermarks: obv: Howgego 39ii; rev: Howgego -, F, green patina, scratches, areas flattened by countermarks, chipped patina on edge, scattered porosity on rev., weight 6.302 g, maximum diameter 25.8 mm, die axis 0o, Alabanda (Doganyurt, Turkey) mint, 28 Jan 198 - 8 Apr 217 A.D.; obverse ΑV Κ Μ ΑV Α – [ΝΤΩΝΙΝΟC?], laureate, cuirassed bust right, seen from behind; countermark: right-facing bust of Caracalla with sideways 'A' before (pointing inward), in a 6.5mm round punch; reverse AΛABANΔEΩN, kithara (lyre); countermark: eagle with wings open(?); the first example of this type handled by Forum; from the Michael Arslan Collection; added to the RPC Online V database; scarce; $120.00 (€112.80)
Laodicea ad Lycum, Phrygia, 198 - 222 A.D.
The Synedrion of the Neoi was a Greek city's organization young men, roughly 20 - 30 years old, who had completed their military training but who were not old enough to participate the city assembly, which was typically limited to "elders" over 30. The neaniskoi ("the boys") were organized around the gymnasia and had a range of military, political, social, and religious functions that varied by the city and over time.RP112159. Bronze diassarion, RPC Online VI T5497; BMC Phrygia p. 299, 132; Martin Demos p. 215, 33; Imhoof-Blumer KM p. 275, 53; SNG Lewis 1610; c/m: Howgego 631 (PH) & 42 (bust), aF, dark brown patina, earthen deposits, holed, weight 6.909 g, maximum diameter 25.0 mm, die axis 180o, Laodicea ad Lycum (near Denizli, Turkey) mint, time of Caracalla to Elagabalus, 198 - 222 A.D.; obverse CYNEΔPIOY NEΩN (Synedrion of the Neoi), diademed and draped bust of the Synedrion of the Neoi left, holding two rods; countermarks: PH ligate (year 108 = 230/231 A.D.) in a 5.8mm round punch, bust of emperor right with CE or CEB before in 6.1 mm oval punch; reverse ΛAOΔIKEΩN NEΩKOPΩN, Hypnos-Thanatos or Eros reclining left on rocks, propping his head on his left hand, holding arrow(?) in his right hand; from Shawn Caza former diplomat, author of A Handbook of Late Roman Coins (Spink, 2021), collection assembled during postings and international travel; ex Dorotheum Vienna; very rare; $100.00 (€94.00)
Caracalla, 28 January 198 - 8 April 217 A.D., Laodicea ad Mare, Syria
Laodicea ad Mar (Latakia, Syria) has been inhabited since the second millennium B.C. It was on the Via Maris, a coastal road that ran south from Antioch to Damascus and Beirut. The city was renamed by Seleucus I Nicator in honor of his mother, Laodice and was a major port for the Seleukid Kingdom. Laodicea flourished under Rome and was second only to Antioch in the region. Herod the Great, king of Judaea, furnished Laodicea with an aqueduct, the remains of which stand to the east of the town. The Legio VI Ferrata was probably based in Laodicea.
Eckhard Meyer was not able to read the full obverse legend on the present obverse die, but with the aid of an additional specimen unknown to Meyer, this cataloger was able to reconstruct it. What an incredibly blundered legend! Meyer notes that the depiction of Tyche here is a throwback to the reign of Trajan (e.g. RPC III 3795). Apparently, the meaning of the letters ΑΓ (or ΓΑ) in the field are still a mystery, although they may be related to the Howgego 581 countermark (CAΓ), the last two letters of which appear ligate and which mark is known only on Laodicea ad Mare coinage.RY114906. Bronze AE 22, Meyer 65 (3 spec.), Mionnet V, p. 257, 773 corr. (legends), cf. BMC Galatia, p. 259, 88 (AΓ in field); SNG Cop -, F, black patina on thick flan with red earthen highlights, minor edge splits, weight 6.408 g, maximum diameter 21.8 mm, die axis 0o, Laodicea ad Mare (Latakia, Syria) mint, c. 198 A.D.; obverse AYTO KΛICΛ M AYP ANTWNNONYON CEB (sic!; N's retrograde), laureate and bare bust right; reverse IOVΛ ΛAOΔIKEWN MHTPOΠOΛ/EWC (N retrograde; last three letters clockwise in inner left field), ΓA (downward inner right field), veiled and turreted head of Tyche right; ex Rönesans Salzgitter blue auction 1 (27 Aug 2023), lot 744 (sold unattributed); rare; $100.00 (€94.00)
Caracalla, 28 January 198 - 8 April 217 A.D., Nicopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior
Nicopolis ad Istrum was founded by Trajan around 101 - 106, at the junction of the Iatrus (Yantra) and the Rositsa rivers, in memory of his victory over the Dacians. Its ruins are located at the village of Nikyup, 20 km north of Veliko Tarnovo in northern Bulgaria. The town reached its peak during the reigns of Trajan, Hadrian, the Antonines and the Severan dynasty.RP113338. Bronze assarion, H-H-J Nikopolis 8.18.47.19 (R3), AMNG I/I 1506, Varbanov I 3002 (R4) var. (obv. leg.), VF, dark patina, broad flan with full legends, edge ragged, weight 3.188 g, maximum diameter 18.1 mm, die axis 45o, Nicopolis ad Istrum (Nikyup, Bulgaria) mint, as caesar, 196 - 198 A.D.; obverse M AV KAI ANTONINOC, bare head right; reverse NIKOΠOΛ ΠPOC IC, tall narrow vase (or torch?) entwined by snake, fluted and ringed, stalks of grain hanging down on each side; ex Barry Murphy (Sep 2007); zero sales of this type recorded on Coin Archives in the last two decades; $90.00 (€84.60)
Caracalla, 28 January 198 - 8 April 217 A.D., Edessa, Mesopotamia
During the sole reign of Caracalla a city known as Colonia Metropolis Antoniniana Aurelia Alexandria in Mesopotamia (Osrhoene) issued a series of small bronze coins with Latin legends. These types were attributed by Eckhel to Carrhae and numismatists long perpetuated this attribution. New finds and papyrological evidence instead point to Edessa as the site of this colonia and the mint for these small bronze coins, struck after Caracalla deposed its king, Severus Abgar IX, in 212/213 A.D.RP112082. Bronze AE 20, Dandrow 1/13 (O8/R10); Lindgren I 2565, Nice F, nice desert patina with highlighting earthen deposits, weight 4.642 g, maximum diameter 19.6 mm, die axis 180o, Mesopotamia, Edessa (Urfa, Sanliurfa, Turkey) mint, 212 - 8 Apr 217 A.D.; obverse M AVR ANTO-NINVS P F AVG (clockwise from upper right), laureate and bearded head right, bare shoulder visible from behind; reverse COL MET ANT-ONINIANA (clockwise from upper right), turreted, veiled, and draped bust of Tyche (city goddess) right; $70.00 (€65.80)
Caracalla, 28 January 198 - 8 April 217 A.D., Caesarea, Cappadocia
Mount Erciyes (Argaios to the Greeks, Argaeus to the Romans) is a massive stratovolcano 25 km to the south of Kayseri (ancient Caesarea) in Turkey. The highest mountain in central Anatolia, with its summit reaching 3,916 meters (12,848 ft). It may have erupted as recently as 253 B.C. Strabo wrote that the summit was never free from snow and that those few who ascended it reported seeing both the Black Sea to the north and the Mediterranean Sea to the south in days with a clear sky.RP112994. Bronze AE 29, Ganschow 543e; Hensler 887; Sydenham Caesarea 484; BMC Galatia p. 81, 274; SNGvA -; SNG Cop VII -, F, dark brown tone, a little off center, scattered small pits, weight 16.021 g, maximum diameter 29.0 mm, die axis 0o, Cappadocia, Caesarea (Kayseri, Turkey) mint, 205 - 206 A.D.; obverse AV KAI M AVPH ANTWNINOC, laureate head right, beardless; reverse MHTPOΠ KAICAPE, model of Mount Argaeus on garlanded altar, star above summit, ET IΓ (year 13 [of Septimius Severus]) in exergue; ex Leu Numismatik AG Web Auction 24 (3 Dec 2022), lot 4995 part of; $70.00 (€65.80)
Caracalla, 28 January 198 - 8 April 217 A.D., with his brother Geta
SH33740. Silver denarius, Lanz 120, 426 (same dies); RIC IV -, RSC III -, nice VF, weight 3.270 g, maximum diameter 18.9 mm, die axis 180o, Laodicea ad Mare (Latakia, Syria) mint, 199 A.D.; obverse IMP CAE M AVR ANT AVG P TR P II, laureate and draped bust of Caracalla right; reverse P SEPTIMIVS GETA CAES, draped bust of Geta right; extremely rare; SOLD
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