Beschreibung
Erhaltung: v | Abkürzungen
Katalognummer: RIC 85b
Material: Silber
Gewicht: 3,12 g
Durchmesser: 20,00 mm
Macrinus, Rome mint, 2nd mission, September 217March 218 AD.,
Denarius (19-20 mm / 3,12 g), silver, axis coin alignment (ca. 180°),
Obv.: IMP C M OPEL SEV MACRINVS AVG , laureate and cuirassed bust of Macrinus right, older features with long beard.
Rev.: SALVS PVBLICA , Salus seated l., on chair with high back, holding patera, feeding snake coiled round altar and placing her r. hand on head of snake.
RIC 85b ; Coh. 114 ; BMC 75 ; RSC 114b .
ex Kurpfälzische Münzhandlung auction 44, Mannheim (Germany) June 1993 (240 DM)
dark silver patina from an old collection
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 Domnas 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 Caracallas 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.
