Dr. Alex Imrie

Having seen the trailers alone, there will be inaccuracies, there will be points where the directors have made some very interesting choices, but as a piece of mass media, it's worth its weight in gold to ancient historians like us to draw in people, to learn more, because the actual history behind these characters is just as entertaining, if not more so, I'd suggest.

So Caracalla and Gaeta are the two sons of the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus. Septimius Severus is known commonly as the African Emperor. Certainly, he comes from modern-day Libya and is really the only emperor at that point to have come from that part of the Roman Empire to hold the imperial power. So Severus seizes power in a coup in the year 193, and by then he has his two sons.

So Caracalla and Gaeta are the two sons of the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus. Septimius Severus is known commonly as the African Emperor. Certainly, he comes from modern-day Libya and is really the only emperor at that point to have come from that part of the Roman Empire to hold the imperial power. So Severus seizes power in a coup in the year 193, and by then he has his two sons.

So Caracalla and Gaeta are the two sons of the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus. Septimius Severus is known commonly as the African Emperor. Certainly, he comes from modern-day Libya and is really the only emperor at that point to have come from that part of the Roman Empire to hold the imperial power. So Severus seizes power in a coup in the year 193, and by then he has his two sons.

They're not even 10 years old at that point. Caracalla's born in 188, Geta's born in 189, so only 11 months separate them age, and they are princes from a very early period.

They're not even 10 years old at that point. Caracalla's born in 188, Geta's born in 189, so only 11 months separate them age, and they are princes from a very early period.

They're not even 10 years old at that point. Caracalla's born in 188, Geta's born in 189, so only 11 months separate them age, and they are princes from a very early period.

That's correct, yep. It's a common thing in the sources that we might come on to later to infantilize Geta a little bit just because he's that younger brother. But in actual fact, there is only, as I say, about 11 months separating them. They are remarkably close as brothers.

That's correct, yep. It's a common thing in the sources that we might come on to later to infantilize Geta a little bit just because he's that younger brother. But in actual fact, there is only, as I say, about 11 months separating them. They are remarkably close as brothers.

That's correct, yep. It's a common thing in the sources that we might come on to later to infantilize Geta a little bit just because he's that younger brother. But in actual fact, there is only, as I say, about 11 months separating them. They are remarkably close as brothers.

So listeners, if they've dropped into my previous engagements with history and the ancients, this will probably sound like a little bit of a broken record to them, but... Oh, we still do. We've always got to do it, my man. We've always got to do it. Absolutely. I'm always happy to talk about these sources because there's a lot to say.

So listeners, if they've dropped into my previous engagements with history and the ancients, this will probably sound like a little bit of a broken record to them, but... Oh, we still do. We've always got to do it, my man. We've always got to do it. Absolutely. I'm always happy to talk about these sources because there's a lot to say.

So listeners, if they've dropped into my previous engagements with history and the ancients, this will probably sound like a little bit of a broken record to them, but... Oh, we still do. We've always got to do it, my man. We've always got to do it. Absolutely. I'm always happy to talk about these sources because there's a lot to say.

We have three main sources that we work with for re-establishing the history of Caracalla and Geta as individuals. Ironically, two of them really don't say a tremendous amount about Geta in particular. We will come on to that sort of distinction maybe later. We have, firstly, the historian Cassius Dio.

We have three main sources that we work with for re-establishing the history of Caracalla and Geta as individuals. Ironically, two of them really don't say a tremendous amount about Geta in particular. We will come on to that sort of distinction maybe later. We have, firstly, the historian Cassius Dio.

We have three main sources that we work with for re-establishing the history of Caracalla and Geta as individuals. Ironically, two of them really don't say a tremendous amount about Geta in particular. We will come on to that sort of distinction maybe later. We have, firstly, the historian Cassius Dio.

Now, Cassius Dio was a senator during the sort of later Antonine era under Marcus Aurelius and Commodus, and served as a senator through the early Severan period as well. He writes about his contemporary era in a very dour way. He's not tremendously fond of any of the Severan rulers, it has to be said, and so

Now, Cassius Dio was a senator during the sort of later Antonine era under Marcus Aurelius and Commodus, and served as a senator through the early Severan period as well. He writes about his contemporary era in a very dour way. He's not tremendously fond of any of the Severan rulers, it has to be said, and so

Now, Cassius Dio was a senator during the sort of later Antonine era under Marcus Aurelius and Commodus, and served as a senator through the early Severan period as well. He writes about his contemporary era in a very dour way. He's not tremendously fond of any of the Severan rulers, it has to be said, and so

We have a fairly negative character portrait of Caracalla built up very early and very little is said about Geta until about midway through that contemporary account. The other source we have that is near contemporary is the author Herodian. He's probably writing a little bit further into the third century.