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Æ19 - Caracalla COL MET ANTONINIANA AVR ALEX
| Issuer | Edessa (Mesopotamia) |
|---|---|
| Year | 213-217 |
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| Composition | Bronze |
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| Obverse description | Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Emperor Caracalla facing right, depicted with short beard in the characteristic Severan style. The imperial effigy is rendered in moderate relief, with the laurel wreath clearly articulated around the head. The encircling Latin legend reads M AVR ANTONINVS P F AVG, distributed around the periphery of the flan. |
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| Mintage | ND (213-217) |
| Additional information |
Edessa occupied an uncomfortable middle position between Rome and Parthia for much of its existence, but Caracalla's visit to the city in 213–217 AD coincided with his broader eastern campaign and his increasingly erratic personal cult. The colonial title COL MET ANTONINIANA — granting Edessa the status of a Roman colony — was awarded by Caracalla himself, a privilege that came with tax exemptions and legal rights under Roman law, and which this coinage was minted to advertise.
Caracalla was murdered in 217 near Carrhae, a short distance from Edessa, by a soldier acting on orders from the praetorian prefect Macrinus. The colonial coinage ceased almost immediately after.