Diadumenian

Marcus Opellius Diadumenianus (short Diadumenian; born September 14, 208; summer † 218 ) was the son of the Roman Emperor Macrinus. After the elevation of his father as emperor in April 217 he received the title of Caesar and the name of Marcus Antoninus Opellius Diadumenianus. The following year Diadumenianus was nominally co-regent, but soon after he arrived at his father's fall killed.

Life

The father of Diadumenianus, the praetorian prefect Macrinus, was a member of the equestrian order. Early 217, he was charged by Emperor Caracalla in the senatorial order and received the title clarissimus vir ( " highly respected man "). At the same time was not yet nine years Diadumenianus was included in the senatorial order; he is attested in inscriptions as clarissimus puer ( " highly respected boy ").

Macrinus organized the murder plot, the emperor Caracalla was destroyed on April 8, 217, and was then collected by the army as his successor. Soon after, he left his son in the city of Zeugma on the Euphrates to Caesar and thus proclaim to his future successor. Diadumenianus received the very popular emperor Antoninus name, reminiscent of Marcus Aurelius and had carried the well Caracalla.

In Rome, chariot races were held on the occasion on September 14, 217 of Diadumenianus ' birthday. This led to a protest rally against Macrinus because of his ongoing absence from the capital.

In May 218, the rebellion broke out of Elagabalus, whose supporters spending it as illegitimate son of Caracalla, Macrinus responded that continue staying in Syria, Apamea in the collection of his son Augustus, ie the nominal co-ruler peer. After his defeat against Elagabalus in the decisive battle at Antioch on June 8, 218 Macrinus tried to flee to Rome, but was caught and killed. He had Diadumenianus to the Parthian king Artabanus IV sent to bring him to safety. Diadumenianus but was on the run in Zeugma, where he was known by the Caesar Proclamation ago, was arrested and soon killed it. There was, as usual in such cases, the damnatio memoriae ( extinction of memories ), resulting in the destruction of the portraits of outcasts and repayment of his name on inscriptions and papyri with the result.

In the late antique Historia Augusta was dedicated Diadumenianus own biography, which is embellished with fictional details and the source value is low.

Iconography

The appearance Diadumenians is known only from coinage. It is unlikely that the different sculptures in the round, for which he has been contemplated actually represents him. The Münzbildnisse follow the frühseverischen tradition; remind them of the coin portraits of Caracalla from its time as Caesar.