The life of Geta
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Birth name:
Other names: Born: Died: Cause of death: Reign: Co-emperor: Dynasty: Predecessor: Successor: |
Publius Septimius Geta
Caesar Publius Septimius Geta Augustus 7 March, 189 AD - Rome 26 December, 211 AD (aged 22) Assassinated 209 – December, 211 AD (2 years 10 months) Caracalla Severan Septimius Severus Caracalla |
Early Life
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Publius Septimius Geta was born in Rome on 7 March 189. He was the youngest son of Septimius Severus and Julia Domna, born during the reign of Emperor Commodus. At the time of Geta's birth Septimius Severus was only a provincial governor and would not become Emperor himself for another 4 years. Sources claim that Geta did not get on well with his older brother, Caracalla. They would often fight and their mother would be forced to break them up. On 28 Jan, 198 Geta was granted the title of Caesar, and later in 209 Septimius Severus gave him the title of Augustus - preparing him for the position of Emperor one day.
Septimius Severus did his best to mediate the conflict between his sons, giving them both imperial duties to distract them. Severus made Caracalla his second in command while out on his campaigns and in general ruling while Geta was given more administrative roles. Severus tried to create the illusion that the imperial family was a cohesive unit, working efficiently for the good of the Roman Empire. But behind the scenes Geta and Caracalla still hated each other and fought constantly, and their relationship deteriorated as they got older. Reign
After the death of Septimius Severus in 211, Geta and Caracalla fully assumed their positions as joint Emperor's of Rome and power was to be shared equally between them. However this plan did not work out, and as expected, the two brother's hatred for each other ruined any chance of successful rule. They could not even live peacefully in the same palace together. The imperial palace was effectively split in half, with Geta and Caracalla having their own rooms and servants. They never dined together and rarely saw each other - with each being forbidden from trespassing on the other's side of the palace.
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Bust of Geta. By Marie-Lan Nguyen (User:Jastrow), 2007, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1756124
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Their mother struggled to keep them from fighting now, and the two Emperors only met each other with their own bodyguard present for fear of being assassinated by the other. This was for good reason too, as Caracalla tried to have Geta murdered on a number of occasions - even during the great festival of Saturnalia, held in December each year.
Death & Legacy
Geta would eventually meet his end as a result of Caracalla's scheming. In late 211 Caracalla organised a meeting to arrange a truce between the two of them in their mother's house so that they could put aside their differences and finally rule as their father had intended. However Caracalla had no intention of sharing power, instead he had the centurions present kill Geta - who had not brought his own bodyguard. Caracalla was now the sole ruler of the Roman Empire, without Geta to stand in his way.
After Geta's death he was deified but later Caracalla ordered a damnatio memoriae to be undertaken against him. As a result Geta's image was erased from coins and paintings and statues of him were destroyed. While Caracalla undertook a very thorough purge of Geta's image, some depictions of him still survive to this day.
After Geta's death he was deified but later Caracalla ordered a damnatio memoriae to be undertaken against him. As a result Geta's image was erased from coins and paintings and statues of him were destroyed. While Caracalla undertook a very thorough purge of Geta's image, some depictions of him still survive to this day.
An example of the damnatio memoriae of Geta. This artwork depicts the Severan family, but the image of Geta has been removed. By Unknown - Berlin, Antikensammlung (Inv.: 31329), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1763277
Trivia
- Geta and Caracalla had plans to split the Roman Empire in half, so that each could rule on their own.
- Geta attempted to position himself as Septimius Severus' true heir by making himself resemble his father when depicted on coinage and in portraits.
- Some sources claim Geta was born in Mediolanum, modern day Milan.