A papyrus informs us that preparations were being made for Caracalla's arrival in Egypt on November 25 215 AD: the supplying of donkeys in Pelusium, in the Nile delta. Caracalla will have arrived in Alexandria in December 215 AD.
Sestertius celebrating the arrival of Caracalla in Egypt. Isis gives grain-ears to Caracalla, standing on a crocodile.
RIC 4, p. 249 nr. 257. 215 AD. Photo: British Museum.The ancient historians tell us that Caracalla was guilty of a triple massacre in Alexandria, merely triggered because the Alexandrians made fun of him. For these events we have extra literary sources, fragments. Eusebius of Caesarea, writing about Origenes in the years 215/216 AD, speaks of "a considerable war" in Alexandria, using the word πολεμος (the Latin bellum), which is often used to refer to military repression following riots.
A first piece of non-literary evidence was found in 1992 in Albanum, today Albano Laziale, a bit to the west of the Lago Albano and Lago di Nemi. It is a military inscription of a soldier of the Legio II Parthica, which had been founded by Septimius Severus and had headquarters in the Castra Albana.
Remains in Albano Laziale.
Photo: Wikimedia, Deblu68.The inscription was analysed in detail by Christer Bruun. It is difficult to interpret, because of an erasure of Imperial titles in the first lines. The inscription was set up by a soldier of the Legio II Parthica, C. Cassius ... He states that he had been in danger in Alexandria. That city had been visited by Septimius Severus, but as far as we know there was no unrest then. The next Imperial visit was by Caracalla. The succeeding Emperors did not visit the city. In other words, the reference to the city must be assigned to Caracalla's visit. The inscription was made later, after the return of the legion to Italy, most likely in 221/222 AD. We may conclude that the citizens of Alexandria had used considerable violence against the soldiers. Herodianus confirms this: "a number of soldiers perished there too".
[Iovi] O[ptimo Maximo]
[pr]O S[alute et reditu]
IMP(eratoris) CAE[s(aris) [[M(arci) Aureli Anto]] ]
[ [[nini Pii Felicis Aug(usti)]] ]
[ [[et M(arci) Aureli Alexandri]] ]
NOBILIS[si]MI [Caesar(is)]
C(aius) CASSIV[s S]EVER[us/inus/ianus]
PRAEP(ositus) MILITVM [---]
LEG(ionis) II PARTH(icae) [[Antonin(ianae)]]
P(iae) F(elicis) F(idelis) AET(ernae) EIVSDEMQ(ue) L[eg(ionis)]
PRINCEPS ET PRIMVS PIL(us)
ET QVOD ALEXANDRIAE
CVM 7(centurio) AGERET IN PERICV
LIS CONSTITVTVS NVMI
NE EIVS ADIVVANTE LIBERA
TVS SIT EX VOTO POSVIT
For Jupiter Optimus Maximus,
for the well-being and return
of Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus,
Pious, Happy, Augustus,
and of Marcus Aurelius Alexander,
most noble Caesar.
Caius Cassius Sever...,
commander of the soldiers
of the Legio II Parthica Antoniniana,
Pious, Happy, Faithful, Eternal, and of the same legion
captain and senior officer,
and because in Alexandria,
when he was acting as centurion, standing firm
in danger, he was saved
through the help of his divine majesty,
set this up in fulfilment of a vow.The military inscription from Albano Laziale. [ [[...]] ] stands for a suggested erasure.
Museo della Seconda Legione Partica. EDR138683.From Egypt itself there is much relevant evidence. There was unrest in Alexandria, witness first of all an order of Caracalla, preserved on the papyrus with the Constitutio Antoniniana. It stipulates that country-folk seeking employment in Alexandria should leave the city. Herodianus gives confirmation: "the city was overflowing with people who had come in from the surrounding area".
More about the unrest is documented by a papyrus known as the Acta Heracliti, the minutes of a court hearing presided by Caracalla. The defending lawyer is called Herarchos. Accusations are made against the prefect of Egypt, Marcus Aurelius Septimius Heraclitus Leontius. Apparently he had not been able to prevent that statues were damaged in rioting, contrary to a priest called Italicus. Also, people in charge of the workshops where the statues were made seem to have revolted. Further on there is talk of forbidden embassies. Young people were involved. Runaway slaves are mentioned. From other documents we know that Heraclitus was replaced.
Column I
(Herarchos): I read the written notes (...) how he made burn (...) the one who mocks and violent (...) Sarapis who loves you (...) that he allows that Heraclitus (...)
(Heraclitus): The bad centurion to whom a written note had been sent (...) The statues were placed inside the workshops until the twelfths (...)
(Antoninus Augustus): in Canopus, there were already statues from the workshops (...) and large statues.
Heraclitus said: They were going to be transported there.
Antoninus Augustus said: So have you ordered (...) or not?
Heraclitus said: I did not give the order (...) but (...) inside (with the others) (...)
Antoninus Augustus said: Were they concealed? (...)
Heraclitus says: No (...)
Antoninus Augustus says: (...)
Heraclitus said: (...)
Antoninus Augustus says: (...) you allowed them (...)
Heraclitus said: They were (still in the workshop?) (...)
Antonin Augustus said: Indeed, other (statues) (...) were placed (...) having been filled (...)
Heraclitus said: (...)
Antoninus Augustus says: (...)
Heraclitus said: (...)
Antoninus Augustus says: (...) the written note (...)
Herarchos: entrepreneurs (...) and of Italicus (...) necessarily (...) Italicus (...) were read (...)
Herarchos had the notes read (...) approached.
Antoninus Augustus said: I ordered the priest (...) you did not seek to obtain the means (...)
(Heraclitus): (I did not think that) such a great looting of the temple would take place (...)
Antoninus Augustus says: (...)
(Heraclitus): the centurions should have (...)
Antoninus Augustus said: (...) centurions (...) summon before you all those who are not thirty (years old) (...)
Column II
(Heraclitus): (...) without written instructions (...)
Antoninus Augustus says: (...) coming out of this building (...) they speak and (...)
Heraclitus said: Why slaves? (...) well known (...)
Antoninus Augustus says: (...) (one must be) a slave to be a fugitive (...)
Herarchos says: (...) about the runaway slaves (...)
Antonin Augustus said: Did not this leader judge thus?
Herarchos says: (…) distorted the proposals (?), sophist.
Emperor Antoninus Augustus said: Who had something to do today in Alexandria (...) or something else?
Herarchos says: (...) Listen in order to understand that (...)
Antoninus Augustus says: another (...) having sent an embassy which degenerated into a riot (...)
X: I wrote to him that if (...) wrote again afterwards (...)
(Antoninus Augustus): (...) it was forbidden to send embassies (...)
X: (...) knowing very well (...)
Antoninus Augustus says: so (...) I'm not learning anything good (...) you have to get information from everyone if indeed (...)
(Antoninus Augustus?): (...) having deliberated well, indeed completing (...) was about to complete. I will apply justice (...) You then undertook to appear saying (...) you were forbidden (to request) an embassy (...)Acta Heracliti (SB 6.9213). Translation after the French translation by Chris Rodriguez. Similar words are read in another, very fragmentary papyrus:
Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus, Pious, Arabicus, Germanicus Maximus, Britannicus, Adiabenicus Maximus, Parthicus Maximus, Happy, Augustus, son of the god Caesar Lucius Septimius Severus Pertinax, said: (...) worthy of being honored (...) ) the statues, I am indignant because (...) all (...) pretending to be, I advised (...) taking (...) caught fire (...) of the gods (...) when (...) and (...) P.Bon. 1.15. Translation after the French translation by Chris Rodriguez. The lawlessness was made possible because the garrison, the Legio II Traiana, had been sent to the Rhine area in 213 AD. Caracalla applied the Roman laws on revolt and lèse majesté.
