Reign of Macrinus

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The Reign of Macrinus was a brief period in Roman imperial history (AD 217–218) when the praetorian prefect Macrinus became emperor following Caracalla’s death, marked by military discontent and his eventual overthrow.

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Statements (46)

Predicate Object
instanceOf historical period
period of Roman imperial history
capital Rome NERFINISHED
causeOfEnd overthrow of Macrinus
characterizedBy military discontent
political instability
short duration
chronologicalPosition early 3rd century AD
coinage Roman imperial coins depicting Diadumenian
Roman imperial coins depicting Macrinus
conflictWith Parthian Empire NERFINISHED
country Roman Empire
dynasty Severan dynasty NERFINISHED
endDate 218
endedBy capture and execution of Macrinus
defeat at the Battle of Antioch
followed Reign of Caracalla
followedBy Reign of Elagabalus NERFINISHED
governmentForm autocracy
hasCoEmperor Diadumenian NERFINISHED
hasEmperor Macrinus NERFINISHED
hasEvent Battle of Antioch (218) NERFINISHED
accession of Macrinus after Caracalla’s assassination
elevation of Diadumenian as co-emperor
historicalSource Cassius Dio’s Roman History NERFINISHED
Herodian’s History of the Roman Empire NERFINISHED
legalActions issuance of imperial rescripts
legitimacyBasis acclamation by the army
legitimacyIssue lack of senatorial background
not related to Severan family by blood
locationOfKeyEvents Antioch NERFINISHED
Syria NERFINISHED
militaryPolicy attempted to reduce military pay
militaryPolicyConsequence discontent among soldiers
notableAspect first equestrian emperor of Rome
notableBattle Battle of Nisibis (217) NERFINISHED
opposedBy Severan loyalists
partOf Crisis tendencies of the 3rd century
precededByEmperor Caracalla NERFINISHED
religion Roman paganism
ruler Macrinus NERFINISHED
startDate 217
succeededByEmperor Elagabalus NERFINISHED
successionType military acclamation rather than dynastic succession
supportedBy Praetorian Guard NERFINISHED
usurpedBy Elagabalus NERFINISHED

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Assassination of Caracalla precedes Reign of Macrinus