The Bad Reputation of Caracalla

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

The personality of the Roman emperors is varied, but none has left a most unpleasant place in history than Caracalla, who reigned from 963 to 969 of the Roman calendar. We can almost provide excuses to his predecessors Nero and Caligula, of whom there is little doubt that they went crazy. Commodus had embodied debauchery. Caracalla personified hatred.

At Bonhams in London on October 28, he is represented by a marble bust 51 cm high, which is a copy of his official portrait and probably dates from his time.

This young man began his reign by killing his brother with his own hand and by having slaughtered some thousands of supporters of the latter. Throughout the rest of his life he made war at the borders. It was not his fault, but the golden age of the Pax Romana was finished.

He was in no mood to joke. The down turning mouth is aggressive, the forehead is marked with a wrinkle, the deep set eyes shoot the observer. These Roman portraits are remarkably realistic. We admire the curly hair, the strong chin adorned with a thin beard and the thick sideburns. We view the Emperor as his contemporaries saw him when they had the audacity to be in front of him.

The estimate is reasonable: £ 150K.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

Unsold. This result is particularly disappointing, especially when compared to the price of Roman marbles at Christie's at the very recent Reilly sale, in New York on October 14: $ 1.4 million for Aphrodite, 820 K $ a head of Marcus Aurelius in youth, 386 K $ a head of Antoninus Pius. These prices include premium.

The Caracalla of Bonhams had the handicap of coming from an anonymous collection. To console ourselves, here is his photo shared by AuctionPublicity.