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327 Pages·2008·6.28 MB·English

by  Andrew Scott

© 2008
Andrew G. Scott
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
CHANGE AND DISCONTINUITY WITHIN THE SEVERAN DYNASTY:
THE CASE OF MACRINUS
By
ANDREW G. SCOTT
A Dissertation submitted to the
Graduate School-New Brunswick
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
Graduate Program in Classics
written under the direction of
Dr. T. Corey Brennan
and approved by
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
New Brunswick, New Jersey
May 2008
ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION
Change and Discontinuity within the Severan Dynasty: the case of Macrinus
By ANDREW G. SCOTT
Dissertation Director:
T. Corey Brennan
This dissertation examines the figure of Macrinus and his relationship to the
Severan dynasty and the third century. As a usurper and non-aristocratic eques, Macrinus
presents a problem of continuity within the Severan dynasty and in many ways was the
precursor to the so-called “Third Century Crisis” of 235-285.
The opening chapters of this dissertation examine the state of Caracalla’s foreign
and domestic policy at the end of his reign (primarily 215-217), Caracalla’s assassination,
and Macrinus’ accession. There is also a discussion of Macrinus’ career prior to his
accession and his initial consolidation of power.
A central question is how Macrinus legitimized his reign. The evidence, which
includes literary, epigraphic, and numismatic sources, shows that he planned a familial
succession that would be passed down to his son Diadumenian. Determining how
Macrinus expressed his relationship both with the Severans and with his own son is
critical for understanding how he tried to situate himself, as usurper, within the ruling
family.
A further area of importance is Macrinus’ program. Though detractors have
suggested that the brevity of Macrinus’ reign made it impossible to have a coherent
program, even in a short reign development can be traced. Macrinus was left with a
variety of problems due to the failed policies of Caracalla, and it will be the purpose of
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this study to assess how he attempted to correct these missteps and how he developed his
own policies.
Finally, Macrinus was a victim of the struggle for power among the army, the
equestrian bureaucracy, and the imperial family. An aspect of the illegitimate nature of
Macrinus’ reign was the almost instantaneous competition from the Syrian half of the
house of Severus, orchestrated by the female relatives of Julia Domna. An investigation
into the characters surrounding this power struggle, with particular emphasis on the
women of the Severan line, will illuminate the inner workings of imperial families in this
period and the power that women could wield.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This dissertation owes a great deal to many people. I would first like to
acknowledge the debt to my advisor, T. Corey Brennan, who was crucial at all points of
not only the process of writing this dissertation, but of my graduate career at Rutgers in
general. Likewise, Thomas J. Figueira and Sarolta A. Takács have provided guidance
over the past five years at Rutgers, and their extensive comments as readers of this
dissertation have helped the final draft immensely. William E. Metcalf, acting as the
outside reader, has also aided the writing of this dissertation in a great way and provided
much needed guidance on various aspects of this study.
Beyond the committee proper, many others have helped me along the way. I must
thank the professors, students, and staff of the Classics Department at Rutgers for all of
their support. The library staff at Alexander Library was very helpful, especially the
office of Interlibrary Loan. Outside of Rutgers, Alan M. Stahl provided me with a
wonderful introduction to numismatics in a seminar at Princeton University during the
Spring 2007 semester.
I would like also to acknowledge the support of my family, especially my
parents, Richard Scott and Barbara Scott, and my siblings Peter, Richard, and Caroline.
Finally, I would not have been able to bring this dissertation and degree to completion
without the love, support, and patience of Alissa Vaillancourt.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract ii

Acknowledge iv

Abbreviations vi

List of tables viii

List of illustrations ix

Introduction 1

Chapter One From Caracalla to Macrinus 19

Chapter Two Macrinus, his background and career 48

Chapter Three The Legitimization of Macrinus’ Reign 72

Chapter Four Macrinus’ Program 104

Chapter Five The Severan Woman, Elagabalus, and the End of Macrinus 136

Epilogue Macrinus in the Third Century 162

Appendix I A Historical and Historiographic Commentary on Dio 78 180

Appendix II Macrinus’ trip to the Danube? 292
Bibliography 307
Curriculum Vitae 317

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ABBREVIATIONS

AE L’Année épigraphique

Albo G. Barbieri, L’albo Senatorio da Settimio Severo a Carino

Bellinger A.R. Bellinger, The Syrian tetradrachms of Caracalla and Macrinus

BMC Catalogue of Greek Coins in the British Museum

Boissevain U.P. Boissevain, ed. Cassii Dionis Cocceiani Historiarum Romanarum
Quae Supersunt, vols. 1-3

CIL Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum

Cohen H. Cohen, Description Historique des Monnaies Frappeés sous l'Empire
Romain

D Dessau, Inscriptiones Latinae Selectae

HA Historia Augusta

LSJ H.G. Liddell & R. Scott, Greek-English Lexicon. Revised by H.S. Jones

Mouchmov N. Mouchmov, Ancient Coins of the Balkan Peninsula

OED Oxford English Dictionary

OLD Oxford Latin Dictionary

PIR Prosopographia Imperii Romani

RIC Roman Imperial Coinage

SNGvA Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum Deutschland: Sammlung von Aulock

SNGCop Syllogue Nummorum Graecorum: The Royal Collections of Coins and
Medals in the Danish National Museum

SNGFr Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum: Cabinet des Médailles, Bibliothèque
Nationale, Paris, France

Sydenham E.A. Sydenham, The Coinage of Caesarea in Cappadocia

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Abbreviations for the biographies in the Historia Augusta follow Lessing:

A Aurelianus
AC Avidius Cassius
Ael. Aelius
AP Antoninus Pius
AS Alexander Severus
C Commodus
Car. Carus, Numerianus, Carinus
Cc. Caracallus
Cl. Cladius
ClA Clodius Albinus
Dd. Diadumenianus
DI Didius Julianus
G Geta
Gall. Gallieni duo
Gd. Gordiani tres
H Hadrianus
Hel. Heliogabalus
MA Marcus Aurelius
Max. Maximini duo
MB Maximus et Balbinus
OM Opilius Macrinus
P Pertinax
PN Pescenius Niger
Pr. Probus
Q Quadrigae tyrannorum, i.e. Firmus Saturninus Proculus et Bonosus
S Severus
T Tyranni triginta
Tac. Tacitus
V Verus
Val. Valeriani duo
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Legions and their locations, 217/218 41
Table 2: Legions by geographic area, 217/218 43
Table 3: Datable extracts from Dio Book 78 64

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Image 1: RIC 4.2 Macrinus 3 82
Image 2: RIC 4.2 Macrinus 55b 83
Image 3: RIC 4.2 Macrinus 30 84
Image 4: RIC 4.1 Caracalla 13b 91
Image 5: RIC 4.2 Macrinus 102 91
Image 6: Bellinger 150 93
Image 7: Bellinger 92 94
Image 8: SNGFr 2347 101

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