Caracalla continued his journey through Thracia. It is not clear which activities should be assigned to late 213 and which to 214 AD. All ancient historians mention his visit and Herodianus adds: "immediately he became Alexander the Great. To revive the memory of the Macedonian in every possible way, he ordered statues and paintings of his hero to be put on public display in all cities. He filled the Capitol, the rest of the temples, indeed, all Rome, with statues and paintings designed to suggest that he was a second Alexander." Cassius Dio adds: "he even took about with him numerous elephants, that in this respect, also, he might seem to be imitating Alexander, or rather, perhaps, Dionysus". It seems unlikely that Caracalla woke up one morning and came up with this idea. Presumably it was all well-prepared. In the Greek-speaking East he needed a new persona. The Celtic mantle was cast off. The hero of mythical status from Macedonia was brought to life. The message seems to be identical: "I am one with all those who live here; all those who live here are citizens of the Roman Empire".
A link between Caracalla and elephants is documented in Philippopolis (Plovdiv, Bulgaria), the largest city in Thrace. In 1965 a rescue excavation was carried out of a tomb, in which fragments were found of the metal decoration of a four-wheeled carriage that had been buried, together with two horses. It was not a chariot, but a ceremonial carruca. A relief of two male busts formed part of the decoration: to the left Hercules with a lion skin, to the right Caracalla wearing an elephant skin, with a trunk that represents a snake; the snake hints at Dionysus. The relief could have been made for "Alexandrian" games known to have taken place in the city in 214 or 215 AD, perhaps attended by Caracalla.
The relief of Hercules and Caracalla from Philippopolis.
Photo: Milena Raycheva.
Reconstruction drawing of a carruca.
Image: Daremberg-Saglio s.v. carruca, fig. 1198.A Greek inscription found in Augusta Traiana (Stara Zagora, Bulgaria) records two letters: the first must have been from Caracalla, but is largely destroyed, the second is from the governor of Thrace, Quintus Atrius Clonius. This governor is known, the inscription belongs to the period 211-217 AD. The Imperial letter must have been a reply to an anonymous citizen about a question concerning the rules for the public distribution of money or gifts. The communication runs through the governor.
Atrios Klonios [---]. I read first of all the [letter] sent by our most divine and revered emperor Antoninus [---] and seeing that you are being honoured in this manner [---] the divine letters (to?) my own epistle, and I appended the precedents of the previous governors and the copy [---] he writes in which [---] I submitted (to?) the deputy-treasurer. Since the divine letters say that the old practice of the distributions is to be retained if the city does not decide otherwise, give orders so that this be made known to the council and the people as arranged in the divine letters, and, if it is not otherwise decided, the old custom be retained. The second, well-preserved part of the inscription from Augusta Traiana.
AE 1965, 342. Translation Christina Kokkinia.An Arch of Caracalla was excavated on the island of Thasos, on the south-western coast of Thrace, in 1886, 1911, 1953 and 1992-1993. The arch had three passages and was 16.85 m. wide and 9.5 m. high. Fragments were found of a colossal statue of a man struggling with a lion, presumably Hercules.
The excavations of the Arch of Caracalla on Thasos.
Picard 1912, fig. 10.
Reconstruction drawing of the Arch of Caracalla on Thasos.
Image: Marc 1999, Taf. 184,2.A dedicatory inscription, from the years 213-217 AD, was added by the city of the Thasians and lists Caracalla, Julia Domna, and the deified Septimius Severus. An earlier inscription was erased, so this might be a re-dedicated arch. The use of the accusative for the names suggests that three Imperial statues were erected. Statues of a priest and priestesses were placed on inscribed pedestals near the arch: of Julius Flavius Macedo, Memmia Belleia Alexandra, and Flavia Vibia Sabina. One complete statue, of Sabina, and fragments of the other statues were found.
The greatest and holiest Emperor Caesar
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Pious Augustus, Parthicus Maximus,
Britannicus Maximus, Germanicus Maximus, the city of
the Thasians. Julia Domna Augusta, the city of the Thasians.
The deified Lucius Septimius Severus Pertinax, the city of
the Thasians.Top.
Inscription of the Arch of Caracalla on Thasos.
IG XII.8, 382.
Image: Bent 1887, p. 424.
Right.
The statue of Flavia Vibia Sabina.
Istanbul, Archaeological Museum.
Photo: Wikimedia, G.dallorto.
The scant remains of the arch in Thasos.
