Caracalla (188-217 AD)

Caracalla, the eldest son of Roman Emperor Septimus Severus and Julia Domna was born in 188 in Lugdunum (Lyon) on the border of Galia State located in present day France. The real name of Caracalla is Lucius Septimus Bassianus and was changed as Marcus Aurelius Antoninus when he was seven. However due to the Gallic cloak he often wore, he was known as Caracalla. Caracalla was prepared for throne by his father from his early ages and got his younger brother Geta killed due to reign struggle in 211. After that, Caracalla promised to increase the wages of soldiers in order to strengthen his power and also in the first months of 212, he executed nearly 20000 people including the senators and the ones known to be close to Geta. He built public baths in order to get the support of the Roman people and declared all the men on the empire territories Roman citizens.

Caracalla visited Galia and Germania in 213 and headed east after returning to Rome for a short period in 213-214 winter. During his trip to east and his visit to Thrace, his interest in Alexander the Great increased and started to identify himself with him. He visited Alexandria located in present day Egypt in 215/216 and slaughtered thousands of people at this time. Seizing the opportunity of throne struggle in Parth State (Iran) in the East, Roman army passed Euphrates River and set up camp in Edessa'da (Urfa). Caracalla was assassinated by Macrinus on the road to offer sacrifice to Carrhae Selene Temple near Edessa on April 8, 217. The Emperor was 30 years old when he was assassinated and his body was cremated. After being put in an urn, his ashes were sent to Antiokheia (Antakya) to his mother Julia Domna.

In this statue of Emperor found in Perge, there is a male figure from Parth on the right side depicted in smaller form than him. It is understood from this composition that this work was done immediately after the Emperor Caracalla's murder during his campaign to Parth. Thus the statute can be dated to 217. The work has a very special importance since it is the first and only statue of the Emperor Caracalla reaching as a whole until today. On the other hand there is a "Corona Civica" (wreath made of oak branches) on the head of the "Perge Caracalla" which was never seen before in any other Caracalla forms and the statue is also an original and important work in this respect.