Caracalla

Julius Bassianus was born in 188 AD, his name taken from his maternal grandfather. The name that he is most frequently associated with now, Caracalla, is actually taken from a long Gallic cloak that he made fashionable while he was in Rome. He is the elder of the two sons of emperor Septimius Severus, and his younger brother is Geta. In the year 195, his father changed his name to "Marcus Aurelius Antoninus," and this was the year he became Caesar. Three years later, he became Augustus, and a decade later, he led the last Caledonian campaign in Britain because his father was ill and he was filling in for him.

Upon Severus Septimius' death in the year 211 AD, Caracalla and Geta became co-emperors, in the fashion of Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus. However, Geta and Caracalla hated one another, and soon, Caracalla had Geta assassinated. This did not sit well with many of the praetorian guardsmen, as some were aware that they had sworn an oath of allegiance to both brothers, not just the elder one. Caracalla reportedly managed to soothe their consciences with his smooth words and a large bribe.

Caracalla was fond of fashion not native to Rome, as it was a Gallic cloak that gave him his name, and soon, the rest of Rome followed in his lead. This led to the passage of the "Constituo Antoniniana," named after him, and the basic premise of the act gave virtually everyone in the Empire, except for slaves, Roman citizenship, a luxury which before had only been granted to people within the borders of Italy and a select few provincial people. This is the main legacy that Caracalla left behind.

While traveling from Edessa on a journey to visit the temple of the Moon-god in Carrhae, Caracalla dismounted his horse in order to relieve himself and, as he was in the midst of it, was stabbed by a soldier and several guards officers at the bequest of the praetorian prefect, Macrinus. His death occurred in 217, and the man who issued his assassination took over his throne readily upon his passing.