Caracalla
Caracalla, born Lucius Septimius Bassianus, was a Roman Emperor from 211 to 217 CE, known for his militaristic rule and controversial policies. He initially shared power with his younger brother, Geta, but their relationship soured, leading Caracalla to murder Geta and purge his supporters in a brutal campaign that reportedly claimed over 20,000 lives. To finance his military endeavors, Caracalla issued an edict in 212 CE that granted Roman citizenship to all free inhabitants of the empire, thereby expanding the tax base but also altering the traditional power dynamics within Rome. His reign was marked by violence, notably the massacre of young men in Alexandria, which exemplified the harshness of his rule. Among his military campaigns, Caracalla achieved notable success against the Parthians, but his reign came to an abrupt end in 217 CE when he was assassinated by a member of his own guard. Despite his efforts to strengthen the empire, his actions ultimately contributed to the complexities and challenges faced by Rome in the years that followed.
Caracalla
Related civilization: Imperial Rome
Major role/position: Emperor
Life
The eldest son of Lucius Septimius Severus, Caracalla (kuh-RAK-uh-luh) earned a reputation as a vicious and unscrupulous fighter. After his father’s death, he briefly shared power with his younger brother Publius Septimius Geta before murdering him in 212 c.e. He conducted a purge of Geta’s supporters, killing more than twenty thousand of them, and then launched a series of battles against Rome’s enemies. To fund these wars, Caracalla expanded the tax-paying population. In 212 c.e., he issued an edict making every free person in the empire a Roman citizen and hence liable to pay taxes.
In the spring of 215 c.e., Caracalla’s fury and brutality were on display with his treatment of Alexandria. Caracalla ordered that the city’s young men be gathered together, then had them killed. Roman soldiers conducted a murderous rampage throughout the city that lasted several days.
Caracalla’s most successful military campaign also proved to be his last. He attacked the Parthians, located in modern Iraq. After a series of victories against Rome’s Eastern enemy, Caracalla was struck down by a member of his bodyguard, Julius Martialis, in 217 c.e. The man behind the attack, Macrinus, was proclaimed emperor.
Influence
Caracalla was unable to continue the unifying policies of his father. Although his expansion of Roman citizenship did create more resources for the government, it also diluted the power of Rome itself.
Bibliography
Brauer, George. The Decadent Emperors. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1967.
Grant, Michael. The Severans. London: Routledge, 1996.