Caracalla (186-217) was joint Roman emperor with his father, Septimius Severus (198-211), and sole emperor from 211-217 under the name Caesar Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus Pius Augustus. Caracalla was a nickname that referred to a kind of coat he wore. His given name was Marcus Aurelius. He now is remembered mainly for the massive baths he built in Rome.
- Medal
Bronze. Italy 1466. Unsigned, but attributed to Giovanni Boldù. Posthumous.
- Size
90 mm
- Artist
Giovanni Boldù (active 1454-1477) Giovanni Boldù (active 1454-1477), Italian painter and medallist from Venice; fond of antique art he often imitated works of ancient art on his medals. (Forrer 1, 207)
- Obverse
Clothed laureate bust of a youth to left; along the edge, in a curve at left and right, ANTONINVS PIVS AVGVSTVS.
- Reverse
At left, naked artist seated to right, his head in hands, with scattered bones by his feet, before him the winged Genius of Death, resting on a skull; in a curve above, IO SON FINE; below, in a curve, ∙ M ∙ CCCC ∙ LXVI ∙ .
- Ref
Hill 423; Armand 37,4; Kress 143
