CARIA, Stratonicaea. Caracalla, with Geta as Caesar. AD 198-217. Æ (36mm, 26.93 g, 12h). Damnatio Memoriae. Flavius Leon Lena, archon. Struck under Septimius Severus, circa AD 205-209. VF.

Electronic Auction 567
Lot: 280.
Closing Date: Jul 31 2024 10:00 ET

Roman Provincial, Bronze

Estimate: $ 500

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CARIA, Stratonicaea. Caracalla, with Geta as Caesar. AD 198-217. Æ (36mm, 26.93 g, 12h). Damnatio Memoriae. Flavius Leon Lena, archon. Struck under Septimius Severus, circa AD 205-209. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Caracalla vis-à-vis [bareheaded, draped, and cuirassed bust of Geta]; c/ms: helmeted head of Roma within circular incuse, and ΘEOY within rectangular incuse / Hecate standing facing, head left, wearing calathus, holding patera and torch; at feet left, dog standing left, looking right. Sternberg 10, lot 467 (same dies). For cms: Howgego 188, 536. Dark brown patina, light porosity, slight doubling on the obverse. VF. Portrait of Geta erased, Caracalla’s damnatio memoriae of Geta applied after his murder in AD 211.

Upon Septimius’ passing in AD 211, his sons Caracalla and Geta assumed joint rule of the empire. Their joint rule was a failure, the Imperial Palace was separated into two sections and they threatened to divide the empire between them. During the Festival of Saturnalia, December 211, Caracalla tried unsuccessfully to have his brother assassinated. But a week later, at an arranged meeting in their mother’s quarters, Geta was murdered by Caracalla’s centurions.

Caracalla immediately ordered a damnatio memoriae of his brother’s image: statues were removed, paintings were destroyed or, like the Severan Tondo erased, and coins were recalled to have his image carved out. This damnatio was especially apparent on the provincial coinage of Pergamum in Mysia and Stratonicaea in Caria. It is estimated that approximately 95% of the dual bust types at Stratonicea have had the portrait of Geta erased, many of them having a countermark of Roma or Caracalla stamped over his bust.

Closing Date and Time: 31 July 2024 at 11:33:00 ET.

All winning bids are subject to a 20% buyer’s fee.