Caracalla (AD 211-217), AR Denarius, Rome, 213 AD – Serapis

Beautiful XF/AU denarius of Caracalla with a fantastic strike, metal quality, and style. From the collection of Dr. Victor Wishnevsky (Hirch 203 1999 #624). Small planchet flaw on the top edge of the obverse, otherwise nearly perfect coin.

Caracalla reigned as Augustus for 6 years and is best remembered for the Constitutio Antoniniana in 212 AD, which granted Roman citizenship to all free inhabitants of the empire, and for ruthlessly consolidating power by murdering his brother Geta. Caracalla adopted Serapis, the syncretic Graeco-Egyptian god created by the Ptolemies, as a personal protector - while Serapis appeared on some Roman denarii under Commodus and Septimius Severus, his prominence increases under Caracalla.