Key Insights
Why did Caracalla and Geta's relationship deteriorate?
Their rivalry intensified due to their entourages encouraging competition and their inability to coexist peacefully, exacerbated by the absence of a restraining force like Plotianus.
How did Severus attempt to address the rivalry between Caracalla and Geta?
Severus took the entire imperial court and a large army to Britain, hoping the harsh military life would instill discipline and unity in his sons.
What role did Julia Domna play in the lives of Caracalla and Geta?
Julia Domna was seen as a voice of reason, trying to reconcile her sons and prevent them from splitting the empire. She was given titles by the Senate reflecting her role as a peacekeeper.
How did Caracalla react to Geta's murder?
Caracalla engaged in extensive damnatio memoriae, destroying statues and inscriptions of Geta, and even counter-stamping coins to erase Geta's image. He also prevented Geta from being deified.
What was the significance of Severus elevating both Caracalla and Geta to the rank of Augustus in 209?
This move changed the dynamic within the Severan household, making Geta a co-emperor and potentially jarring for Caracalla, who had assumed he would succeed his father alone.
Why did Severus take his family to Britain in 208?
Severus aimed to remove his sons from the corrupting influence of Rome and expose them to military life, hoping it would instill discipline and unity.
How did the rivalry between Caracalla and Geta manifest in public?
They competed openly, even in public events like chariot races, and their rivalry became a public embarrassment for Severus.
What was the immediate aftermath of Severus's death in 211?
Caracalla and Geta quickly concluded the British campaign and returned to Rome, where they began maneuvering for power, partitioning the imperial palace, and growing their bodyguards.
How did Caracalla and Geta's relationship impact the Severan dynasty's public image?
Despite their rivalry, they maintained a public facade of unity, with coins and inscriptions promoting Concordia Augustorum, though this was increasingly seen as a fallacy.
What was the extent of Caracalla's damnatio memoriae against Geta?
Caracalla's damnatio memoriae was extreme, involving the destruction of statues, chiseling Geta's face off coins, and erasing inscriptions. He also prevented Geta from being deified.
Chapters
- Caracalla and Geta were born in the late 180s AD.
- They were raised in a lavish Roman aristocratic lifestyle.
- Their father, Septimius Severus, planned for them to rule together.
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