| Savoca Numismatik GmbH & Co. KG > Herakles Auction 2 | Auction date: 3 March 2025 |
| Lot number: 102 Price realized: 200 EUR (Approx. 208 USD) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | Show similar lots on CoinArchives Find similar lots in upcoming auctions on  |
| Lot description: Roman Imperial Plautilla. Augusta AD 202-205. Struck circa AD 202. Rome Denarius AR 18 mm, 3,38 g PLAVTILLAE AVGVSTAE, draped bust of Plautilla to right / PROPAGO IMPERI, Plautilla on left clasping hands with togate Caracalla on right. Extremely Fine RIC IV 362 (Caracalla); BMCRE 406 (Caracalla); RSC 21. Publia Fulvia Plautilla, commonly known as Plautilla, was a Roman empress as the wife of Caracalla, who later became emperor. Her life was marked by political intrigue, familial tensions, and a tragic end, reflecting the instability of the Severan dynasty. She was born into a prominent family, as the daughter of Gaius Fulvius Plautianus, a powerful praetorian prefect under Emperor Septimius Severus and one of the most influential figures of his time. Plautilla's marriage to Caracalla was arranged around AD 202 by Severus and Plautianus to strengthen political alliances within the ruling elite. However, the union was notoriously unhappy. Caracalla reportedly despised Plautilla, treating her with disdain and making no effort to hide his animosity. Their personal conflict was exacerbated by the tense relationship between Caracalla and Plautianus, whose influence over the emperor and his family was significant but controversial. Plautilla's fortunes declined rapidly after her father fell out of favor. In AD 205, Plautianus was accused of plotting to overthrow Septimius Severus and was executed. Following her father's disgrace, Plautilla was exiled to the island of Lipari, along with other members of her family. Her marriage to Caracalla was effectively nullified by these events. After Severus' death in AD 211, Caracalla became the sole ruler of the Roman Empire. One of his early actions as emperor was to order Plautilla's execution, likely to eliminate any remaining political threat from her family. Her tragic end illustrates the brutal nature of imperial politics during the Severan period, where familial alliances often turned into deadly rivalries. Plautilla is remembered primarily through coinage issued during her brief tenure as empress. These coins, which depict her with elaborate hairstyles and inscriptions emphasizing her status as Augusta, serve as rare reminders of her fleeting presence in Roman history. Her story highlights the precariousness of life within the imperial family and the often-fatal consequences of power struggles in ancient Rome. Starting price: 150 EUR |  |
