Macrinus (AD 217-218) Denarius

Macrinus (AD 217-218)

Denarius, Rome (3.87 g, 6 h)

RIC IV Macrinus 91 / Extremely Fine

Macrinus’s rise and fall are among the most dramatic in Roman history. As Praetorian Prefect under the Caracalla, Macrinus discovered his own name on a "hit list" of those the Emperor intended to execute. To save his own life, he orchestrated Caracalla’s assassination during a roadside stop in Mesopotamia in 217 AD.  With no heir immediately present, the army proclaimed Macrinus Emperor. However, the powerful women of the Severan dynasty - specifically Julia Maesa - conspired against him, promoting her grandson Elagabalus by claiming that we was an illegitimate son of Caracalla. After a brief, bloody battle at Antioch in 218 AD, Macrinus attempted to flee to Rome in disguise. He was captured at Chalcedon and executed shortly after.