Caracalla in Roman Biography

Car-a-cal'la, (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Bassianus,) a Roman emperor, born at Lyons in 188 a. d. He was the son of the emperor Septimius Severus, who, dying in 212, left the empire to Caracalla and his brother Geta. The latter was assassinated by order of Caracalla, who sought to confirm his power by sacrificing many friends of Geta. Papinian, the jurist, was one of the victims, who, it is said, amounted to thousands. His reign was a series of cruelties, extortions, and follies. He chose for his chief ministers persons of the vilest character. He led his army into Parthia about 216 A.D., ravaged a part of the country, and retired before he had encountered the Parthian army. A conspiracy having been formed by Macrinus, Caracalla was killed by one of his soldiers near Edessa, in Asia, in 217 a.d., and Macrinus reigned in his stead. See Gibbon, "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire;" Mkis ter, " Dissertatio de Caracalla," 1702; Spartian, "Vita Caracallx."