The George W. La Borde Collection of Roman Aurei Part I
THE ROMAN EMPIRE
Macrinus, 217 – 218
Aureus circa 217-218, AV 6.75 g. IMP C M OPEL SEV – MACRINVS AVG Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust r. Rev. FIDES MILITVM Fides standing facing, head r., holding standard in each hand. C 22. BMC 64. RIC 65. Calicó 2940a (these dies).
Very rare. An attractive portrait of excellent style well struck
in high relief, good extremely fine
Provenance
Trau family Collection, acquired by Carl Trau (1811-1887), his son Franz Trau (1842-1905) or his grand-son Franz Trau Junior (1881-1931), sold by Adolph Hess & Gilhofer und Ranschburg, auction, Vienna, 22 May 1935 sqq., lot 2372, estimated 900 Schillings, for 690 Schillings.
William H. Williams Collection sold by Numismatica Ars Classica (Zurich), auction 31 (”An American Collector”), 26 October 2005, lot 79.
Sold by Harlan J. Berk, buy-or-bid auction 148, Chicago, 29 March 2006, lot 20.

A trusted administrator under the Severans, Macrinus rose to become one of two praetorian prefects under the emperor Caracalla. He took a leading role in the plot to murder his benefactor, having himself enlisted the assassin. Three days after Caracalla’s assassination, Macrinus was nominated Augustus by the soldiers after pretending to show sorrow for his master’s death. For a time he continued the war against the Parthians, but soon tired of it and sued for peace, offering the enemy large payments in exchange for a non-aggression pact. This did not sit well with the soldiers, who perhaps wanted to pursue the campaign and have an opportunity to claim their share of the legendary wealth of the East. Thus, many soldiers soon deserted to the cause of a new rival, the 14-year-old grandnephew of Julia Domna, Elagabalus, who was alleged to be an illegitimate son of Caracalla. When the opponents finally clashed near a small Syrian village outside Antiochia, the forces of Elagabalus got the upper hand and Macrinus fled the field. He made his way in disguise as far as Calchedon before he was captured and executed.