Publius Septimius Geta
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| Geta | |
|---|---|
| 23rd Emperor of the Roman Empire | |
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| 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 | 7 March 189 |
| Birthplace | Rome |
| Died | 19 December 211 (aged 22) |
| Predecessor | Septimius Severus (alone) |
| Successor | Caracalla (alone) |
| Dynasty | Severan |
| Father | Septimius Severus |
| Mother | Julia Domna |
Geta (Latin: Publius Septimius Geta Augustus;[1] 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, when he was murdered on command of his older brother.
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Early life [edit]
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 close 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 younger 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 presented the image of a happy family that shared the responsibilities of rule. Septimus Severus entrusted his wife Julia Domna as his counsellor, his older son Caracalla as his second in command, and gave administrative and bureaucratic duties to his younger son Geta. In reality, however, the rivalry and antipathy between the brothers was far from resolved.
Joint Emperor [edit]
When Septimius Severus died in Eboracum in the beginning of 211, Caracalla and Geta were proclaimed joint emperors and returned to Rome.
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 had his mother arrange a peace meeting with his brother in his mother's apartments, and then had him murdered in her arms by centurions.
| Roman imperial dynasties | |||
| Severan dynasty | |||
| Severan dynasty - tondo.png The Severan Tondo |
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| 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 |
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| Succession | |||
| Preceded by Year of the Five Emperors |
Followed by Crisis of the Third Century |
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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 stated that around 20,000 persons of both sexes were killed or proscribed during this time.[2]
Gallery [edit]
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Head of young Geta at Glyptothek, Munich.
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A denarius of Geta.
See also [edit]
Notes [edit]
- ^ In Classical Latin, Geta's name would be inscribed as PVBLIVS SEPTIMIVS GETA AVGVSTVS.
- ^ Cassius Dio, Roman History [1]
References [edit]
- Dio Cassius lxxvii; Herodian iv. I.
External links [edit]
Media related to Publius Septimius Geta at Wikimedia Commons
- Life of Geta (Historia Augusta at LacusCurtius: Latin text and English translation)
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Publius Septimius Geta
Born: 7 March 189 Died: 26 December 211 |
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| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Septimius Severus |
Roman Emperor 209–211 With: Septimius Severus and Caracalla |
Succeeded by Caracalla |
| 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 |
| Legendary titles | ||
| Vacant
Interregnum
Title last held by
Lucius |
King of Britain | Succeeded by Bassianus |
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