Macrinus Coins
Imperator Caesar Marcus Opellius Macrinus Augustus
Marcus Opellius Macrinus was Praetorian Prefect under Caracalla and the instigator of Caracalla's murder, apparently because he had learned that Caracalla intended to have him executed. He thus became the first emperor who was not a member of the senatorial class, and the first to become emperor without ever having held senatorial rank. His attempt to make peace with Parthia on unfavourable terms alienated the legions, and the eastern army's enthusiasm for Elagabalus, presenting himself as Caracalla's son, proved Macrinus's undoing.
Macrinus broke the senatorial monopoly on the throne, demonstrating that military command rather than birth or status was the true qualification for the office. His brief reign is also remembered for the co-emperor Diadumenianus, whose coins are somewhat scarcer and of considerable collector interest.
Key Events
Coinage
Macrinus struck coinage at Rome, and also issued coins for his son Diadumenianus as Caesar. His portrait is distinctive for showing a full beard despite not being of the imperial family, a deliberate imitation of the philosopher-emperor image. The reverses emphasise Felicitas, Securitas, and the traditional virtues of imperial governance, projecting a stability his reign never achieved.
Denominations
Notable Types
- Joint types with Diadumenianus as Caesar
- FELICITAS TEMPORVM types
- SALVS PVBLICA types
- Priestly emblems (PONTIF MAX types)
Common Reverses
Active Mints
Related Resources
Further Reading
- Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume IV, Part II,
- Roman Coins and Their Values, Volume II,