Macrinus, Rome mint, 217-218 AD.,
Denarius (18-19 mm / 2.61 g),
Obv.: IMP C M OPEL SEV MACRINVS AVG , laureate cuirassed bust of Macrinus right, younger features with cropped beard.
Rev.: SALVS PVBLICA , Salus seated left, feeding from patera a serpent arising from altar and holding sceptre in l. hand.
RIC 86 ; C 116a ; BMC 26 .
Marcus Opellius Severus Macrinus was born in Mauritania and began his career as a lawyer. He seems to been trusted enough to be appointed praetorian prefect by Caracalla in 212 and accompanied him when he embarked on his Parthian campaign in 216. Unfortunately, during the war Macrinus learnt of a prophecy foretelling his rise to power. This prophecy was more-or-less self-fulfilling since Macrinus realized that as soon as the increasingly paranoid Caracalla heard about it he would be executed: and so Macrinus struck first and had Caracalla assassinated. Macrinus ended the Parthian war by paying off the enemy, which did not endear him to the army especially since Caracalla was very popular with them. In addition, Julia Domna’s powerful sister Maesa was fomenting rebellion from her base in Emesa, putting about the rumor that her grandson Elagabalus, son of Julia Soaemias, was actually Caracalla’s son. In attempting to suppress the revolt Macrinus was defeated: he fled toward the west, where he probably would have had more support, but he was captured and executed in Asia Minor.
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