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Search Advanced Search Search By Coin ID     Home ANCIENT/BYZANTINE Ancient Spain (872) Byzantine (753) MEDIEVAL/EARLY WORLD Germany (30) MODERN WORLD COUNTERFEITS AND IMITATIONS   Submit New Coin(s)   Sponsors page Terms of Service Contact Us About Us FAQ Page Coin Detail Click here to see enlarged image. ID:     31-79      [UNVERIFIED] Type:     Roman Imperial Issuer:     Macrinus Date Ruled:     A.D. 217-218 Metal:     Gold Denomination:     Aureus Struck / Cast:     struck Date Struck:     AD circa 217-218 Diameter:     21 mm Weight:     6.71 g Obverse Legend:     IMP C M OPEL SEV MACRINVS AVG Obverse Description:     Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right Reverse Legend:     FIDES MILITVM Reverse Description:     Fides standing facing, head right, holding standard in each hand Mint:     Rome Primary Reference:     RIC 065 Reference2:     BMC 064 Reference3:     Calicó 2940a Reference4:     C 022 Photograph Credit:     Numismatica Ars Classica NAC AG Source:     http://www.arsclassicacoins.com/ Price Sold For:     36000 Swiss Franc Date Sold:     10/26/2005 Grade:     gEF Notes:     NAC Auction 31, Lot 79 Very rare. An attractive portrait of excellent style well struck Ex Hess sale 1935, Trau, 2372. A trusted administrator under the Severans, Macrinus rose to become one of two praetorian prefects under the emperor Caracalla. He took a leading role in the plot to murder his benefactor, having himself enlisted the assassin. Three days after Caracalla’s assassination, Macrinus was nominated Augustus by the soldiers after pretending to show sorrow for his master’s death. For a time he continued the war against the Parthians, but soon tired of it and sued for peace, offering the enemy large payments in exchange for a non-aggression pact. This did not bode well with the soldiers, who perhaps wanted to pursue the campaign and have an opportunity to claim there share of the legendary wealth of the East. Thus, many soldiers soon deserted to the cause of a new rival, the 14-year-old grandnephew of Julia Domna, Elagabalus, who was alleged to be an illegitimate son of Caracalla. When the opponents finally clashed near a small Syrian village outside Antioch, the forces of Elagabalus got the upper hand and Macrinus fled the field. He made his way in disguise as far as Calchedon before he was captured and executed.

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