Septimius Severus

A circa A.D. 202 to 210 gold aureus issued by Septimius Severus shows sons Caracalla and Geta.

The boys were then in their mid to late teens and hated each other. All three appear on horses on the reverse of the aureus, raising their right hands as if receiving an ovation. Severus took his wife and two sons to wage war against the Caledonians of northern Britain. Severus sent his sons to lead the troops. While in Britain Severus fell ill and died in A.D. 211, leaving behind two sons who were intent on eliminating one another.

In 193, Septimius Severus was the victor in a civil war that saw five rival emperors try to take power. Severus often depicted his wife, Julia Domna, and his squabbling sons on his coinage. On the reverse of a rare gold aureus issued about the year 200, the two boys face one another, with the inscription “Eternity of the Empire" In December 195, after his father defeated Pescennius Niger, Caracalla, aged nine, was given the rank of Caesar, designating him imperial successor. Coinage in gold, silver, and bronze were issued depicting Caracalla as Caesar. Caracalla caesar, Sestertius circa 196-197.

Valued at one-quarter of a denarius, the sestertius was a substantial brass coin of about 27 grams and was a mainstay of the Roman monetary system. Because small change was in chronic short supply, coins often remained in circulation until they wore flat. Few coins in good condition survived.

Publius Septimius Geta was given the rank of Caesar at the age of nine in 198 CE. The spectactular rare coin marking the event brought over $154,000. By the age of 18, Geta had grown a beard. A very rare sestertius of Geta as Caesar struck at Rome around 208. Geta was not promoted to Augustus (co-ruler) until 209, something he bitterly resented. Severus died on February 4, 211. Severus was deified by the Senate and buried in the Mausoleum of Hadrian in Rome. His remains are lost. Caracalla and Geta were elevated, advised by Julia Domna.

The Romans never campaigned deep into Caledonia again: they withdrew south permanently to Hadrian's Wall.

The palace was divided into two hostile armed camps. Caracalla’s guards stabbed Geta to death December 211. Caracalla persecuted and executed most of Geta's supporters and ordered a damnatio memoriae. It became a capital offence to speak or write Geta's name.

Severus' currency debasement was the largest since the reign of Nero.

Caracalla is recorded as one of Rome's worst rulers. Caracalla introduced the antoninianus in 215, a new denomination that had a disastrous impact on the Roman economy for the rest of the third century.