Ancient Roman Emperor Caracalla Coin (211-217 A.D.) in Solid 14kt Gold

Of all the flawed leaders of Ancient Rome, Emperor Caracalla is said to have been one of the most tyrannical. He was power-hungry from an early age and was rumored to have ordered his own brother’s execution to seize full power of the empire. His reign was marred by constant invasion, massacres ordered throughout Rome, and political instability, brought on in part by his new currency: the Antoninianus. At the time, it was a double-value silver coin. It features an image of Caracalla himself wearing a radiate crown. The emperor would give large bonuses to his favored soldiers, which lead to the debasement of the currency soon after its deployment. Eventually, inflation drove the currency’s value down, creating further discord among his people. In 217 AD, one of Caracalla’s own soldiers stabbed him while he urinated outside a temple on an official tour. With time, his signature coins became artifacts, but his legacy as a cruel, brutal leader lived on. Caracalla Emperor: Struck circa 211-