Publius Septimius Geta

Geta
Emperor of the Roman Empire
Publius Septimius Geta Louvre Ma1076.jpg
Reign 209 – 4 February 211
(with Severus & Caracalla);
February – December 211 (with Caracalla)
Full name Publius Septimius Geta
(from birth to 209);
Caesar Publius Septimius Geta Augustus (from 209 to death)
Born March 7, 189(189-03-07)
Birthplace Rome
Died December 19, 211(211-12-19)
Predecessor Septimius Severus (alone)
Successor Caracalla (alone)
Dynasty Severan
Father Septimius Severus
Mother Julia Domna

Publius Septimius Geta (7 March 189 – 19 December 211), was a Roman Emperor co-ruling with his father Septimius Severus and his older brother Caracalla from 209 to his death.

Contents

Early life

Head of young Geta at Glyptothek, Munich

Geta was the younger son of Septimius Severus by his second wife Julia Domna. Geta was born in Rome, at a time when his father was only a provincial governor at the service of emperor Commodus.

Geta was always in a place secondary to his older brother Lucius, the heir known as Caracalla. Perhaps due to this, the relations between the two were difficult from their early years. Conflicts were constant and often required the mediation of their mother. To appease his youngest son, Septimius Severus gave Geta the title of Augustus in 209. During the campaign against the Britons of the early 3rd century, the imperial propaganda publicized a happy family that shared the responsibilities of rule. Caracalla was his father's second in command, Julia Domna the trusted counsellor and Geta had administrative and bureaucratic duties. Truth was that the rivalry and antipathy between the brothers was far from being improved.

Joint Emperor

When Septimius Severus died in Eboracum in the beginning of 211, Caracalla and Geta were proclaimed joint emperors and returned to Rome.

A denarius of Publius Septimius Geta

Regardless, the shared throne was not a success: the brothers argued about every decision, from law to political appointments. Later sources speculate about the desire of the two of splitting the empire in two halves. By the end of the year, the situation was unbearable. Caracalla tried to murder Geta during the festival of Saturnalia without success. Later in December he arranged a meeting with his brother in his mother's apartments, and had him murdered in her arms by centurions.

Roman imperial dynasties
Severan dynasty
Severan dynasty - tondo.jpg
The Severan Tondo
Chronology
Septimius Severus 193 – 198
-with Caracalla 198 – 209
-with Caracalla and Geta 209 – 211
Caracalla and Geta 211 – 211
Caracalla 211 – 217
Interlude: Macrinus 217 – 218
Elagabalus 218 – 222
Alexander Severus 222 – 235
Dynasty
Severan dynasty family tree
Category:Severan Dynasty
Succession
Preceded by
Year of the Five Emperors		 Followed by
Crisis of the Third Century

Following Geta's assassination, Caracalla damned his memory and ordered his name to be removed from all inscriptions. The now sole emperor also took the opportunity to get rid of his political enemies, on the grounds of conspiracy with the deceased. Cassius Dio [1] stated that around 20,000 persons of both sexes were killed and/or proscribed during this time.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Cassius Dio, Roman History [1]

References

External links

Publius Septimius Geta
Severan dynasty
Born: 7 March 189 Died: 26 December 211
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Septimius Severus		 Roman Emperor
209–211
With: Septimius Severus and Caracalla		 Succeeded by
Caracalla
(as Bessianus in Britain)
Vacant
Interregnum
Title last held by
Lucius		 Legendary Kings of Britain
Political offices
Preceded by
Lucius Fabius Cilo ,
Marcus Annius Flavius Libo		 Consul of the Roman Empire
205
with Caracalla		 Succeeded by
Marcus Nummius Umbrius Primus Senecio Albinus,
Lucius Fulvius Gavius Numisius Petronius Aemilianus
Preceded by
Lucius Annius Maximus ,
Gaius Septimius Severus Aper		 Consul of the Roman Empire
208
with Caracalla		 Succeeded by
Lucius Aurelius Commodus Pompeianus,
Quintus Hedius Lollianus Plautius Avitus