Dr. Alex Imrie

He seems to want to secure this huge loyalty base after the murder of Geta, and this is one of the ways he does it, just by making everybody citizens in one move.

He seems to want to secure this huge loyalty base after the murder of Geta, and this is one of the ways he does it, just by making everybody citizens in one move.

Yeah, it is a watershed moment for how citizenship is perceived. Certainly. There have been a lot of arguments about what is the actual application of it. It could be just a kind of legal expedient to make everything a bit smoother. It could be a political expedient, as I've argued, to kind of make everybody accept the new narrative that Caracal is laying down, that Geta was this villain.

Yeah, it is a watershed moment for how citizenship is perceived. Certainly. There have been a lot of arguments about what is the actual application of it. It could be just a kind of legal expedient to make everything a bit smoother. It could be a political expedient, as I've argued, to kind of make everybody accept the new narrative that Caracal is laying down, that Geta was this villain.

Yeah, it is a watershed moment for how citizenship is perceived. Certainly. There have been a lot of arguments about what is the actual application of it. It could be just a kind of legal expedient to make everything a bit smoother. It could be a political expedient, as I've argued, to kind of make everybody accept the new narrative that Caracal is laying down, that Geta was this villain.

But whatever the rationale for it, It's a remarkable move, which is now part of the UNESCO World Heritage Register, I think it is. So it has a very, very esteemed now afterlife, but it's introduced by this kind of murderous villain who spends the next five years on campaign on the northern frontier, and then eventually the eastern frontier, where he wages war on Parthia.

But whatever the rationale for it, It's a remarkable move, which is now part of the UNESCO World Heritage Register, I think it is. So it has a very, very esteemed now afterlife, but it's introduced by this kind of murderous villain who spends the next five years on campaign on the northern frontier, and then eventually the eastern frontier, where he wages war on Parthia.

But whatever the rationale for it, It's a remarkable move, which is now part of the UNESCO World Heritage Register, I think it is. So it has a very, very esteemed now afterlife, but it's introduced by this kind of murderous villain who spends the next five years on campaign on the northern frontier, and then eventually the eastern frontier, where he wages war on Parthia.

And if you're looking for the kind of the spark notes, the short version... He raises an army basically wherever he goes, through Germany, through Thrace, through Greece, into Asia Minor. The only other really important point that I would raise for listeners, if we're doing a very short version of Caracalla's reign here, is that he visits Alexandria, the city of Alexandria in Egypt.

And if you're looking for the kind of the spark notes, the short version... He raises an army basically wherever he goes, through Germany, through Thrace, through Greece, into Asia Minor. The only other really important point that I would raise for listeners, if we're doing a very short version of Caracalla's reign here, is that he visits Alexandria, the city of Alexandria in Egypt.

And if you're looking for the kind of the spark notes, the short version... He raises an army basically wherever he goes, through Germany, through Thrace, through Greece, into Asia Minor. The only other really important point that I would raise for listeners, if we're doing a very short version of Caracalla's reign here, is that he visits Alexandria, the city of Alexandria in Egypt.

Now, Caracalla, you may know, is a big Alexander the Great fanboy. Oh, he loves him, doesn't he?

Now, Caracalla, you may know, is a big Alexander the Great fanboy. Oh, he loves him, doesn't he?

Now, Caracalla, you may know, is a big Alexander the Great fanboy. Oh, he loves him, doesn't he?

Cannot get enough of Alexander. Claims that he's Alexander reborn, according to the senators, according to Dio. Although I question that to some extent. Anyway, he arrives in Alexandria. This is supposed to be the pinnacle of his imperial tour. I mean, he's going to the city of his idol. He's visiting the tomb of Alexander, and he's offering sacrifices to the god Serapis as well.

Cannot get enough of Alexander. Claims that he's Alexander reborn, according to the senators, according to Dio. Although I question that to some extent. Anyway, he arrives in Alexandria. This is supposed to be the pinnacle of his imperial tour. I mean, he's going to the city of his idol. He's visiting the tomb of Alexander, and he's offering sacrifices to the god Serapis as well.

Cannot get enough of Alexander. Claims that he's Alexander reborn, according to the senators, according to Dio. Although I question that to some extent. Anyway, he arrives in Alexandria. This is supposed to be the pinnacle of his imperial tour. I mean, he's going to the city of his idol. He's visiting the tomb of Alexander, and he's offering sacrifices to the god Serapis as well.

Now, he stays there for a few months. He arrives in the winter of 215, and he leaves in the early months of AD 216. The visit has gone incredibly sour at that point, though. There are sources, Dio Herodian, the Historia Augusta, they all agree that for some reason or another, there's a breakout of civil disobedience, rioting in the city, and Caracalla puts it down violently.

Now, he stays there for a few months. He arrives in the winter of 215, and he leaves in the early months of AD 216. The visit has gone incredibly sour at that point, though. There are sources, Dio Herodian, the Historia Augusta, they all agree that for some reason or another, there's a breakout of civil disobedience, rioting in the city, and Caracalla puts it down violently.

Now, he stays there for a few months. He arrives in the winter of 215, and he leaves in the early months of AD 216. The visit has gone incredibly sour at that point, though. There are sources, Dio Herodian, the Historia Augusta, they all agree that for some reason or another, there's a breakout of civil disobedience, rioting in the city, and Caracalla puts it down violently.