30 Facts About Macrinus

Macrinus later conspired against Caracalla and had him murdered in a bid to protect his own life, succeeding him as emperor.

Macrinus fled the battlefield and tried to reach Rome, but was captured in Chalcedon and later executed in Cappadocia.

Macrinus sent his son to the care of Artabanus IV of Parthia, but Diadumenian was captured before he could reach his destination and executed.

Macrinus was born in Caesarea in the Roman province of Mauretania Caesariensis to an equestrian family of Berber origins.

Macrinus received an education which allowed him to ascend to the Roman political class.

Macrinus, fearing for his safety, resolved to have Caracalla murdered before he was condemned.

Macrinus was among his staff, as were other members of the Praetorian Guard.

Macrinus never returned to Rome as emperor and remained based in Antioch for the duration of his reign.

Macrinus was the first emperor to hail from the equestrian class, rather than the senatorial and the first emperor of Mauretanian descent.

Macrinus, not being a senator and having become emperor through force rather than through traditional means, was looked down upon.

Macrinus had several issues that he needed to deal with at the time of his accession, which had been left behind by his predecessor.

Macrinus was at first occupied by the threat of the Parthians, with whom Rome had been at war since the reign of Caracalla.

Macrinus settled a peace deal with the Parthians after fighting an indecisive battle at Nisibis in 217.

In return for peace, Macrinus was forced to pay a large indemnity to the Parthian ruler Artabanus IV.

Macrinus settled a peace treaty with them by returning the crown and loot to Khosrov's son and successor Tiridates II and releasing his mother from prison, and by restoring Armenia to its status as a client kingdom of Rome.

Macrinus made peace with the Dacians by releasing hostages, though this was likely not handled by himself but by Marcius Agrippa.

Macrinus began to overturn Caracalla's fiscal policies and moved closer towards those that had been set forth by Septimius Severus.

The soldiers that were already enlisted during Caracalla's reign enjoyed exorbitant payments which were impossible for Macrinus to reduce without risking a potential rebellion.

Macrinus revalued the Roman currency, increasing the silver purity and weight of the denarius from 50.78 percent and 1.66 grams at the end of Caracalla's reign to 57.85 percent and 1.82 grams from Autumn 217 to the end of his reign, so that it mirrored Severus' fiscal policy for the period 197 to 209.

The fiscal changes that Macrinus enacted might have been tenable had it not been for the military.

Macrinus remained in Antioch instead of going to Rome upon being declared emperor, a step which furthered his unpopularity in Rome and contributed to his eventual downfall.

Macrinus took her children, Julia Soaemias and Julia Mamaea, and grandchildren, including Elagabalus, with her to Emesa.

Macrinus realised that his life was in danger but struggled to decide upon a course of action and remained at Antioch.

Macrinus sent a force of cavalry commanded by Ulpius Julianus to regain control of the rebels, but they failed and Ulpius died in the attempt.

At some point during the ensuing Battle of Antioch, Macrinus deserted the field and returned to Antioch.

Macrinus was then forced to flee from Antioch as fighting erupted in the city as well.

Macrinus fled for Rome; he travelled as far as Chalcedon before being recognized and captured.

Macrinus, upon learning of his son's death, tried to escape captivity, but he injured himself in the unsuccessful attempt and was afterward executed in Cappadocia; his head was sent to Elagabalus.

The damnatio memoriae against Macrinus is among the earliest of such sanctions enacted by the Senate.

Many of the marble busts of Macrinus that exist were defaced and mutilated as a response to the damnatio memoriae and many of the coins depicting Macrinus and Diadumenianus were destroyed.