The story of Caracalla and Geta, sons of Emperor Septimius Severus, is a tragic tale of rivalry, betrayal, and murder that deeply impacted Roman history. Born into the powerful Severan dynasty, Caracalla (Lucius Septimius Bassianus) and Geta (Publius Septimius Geta) were raised as heirs to the throne. However, their personalities clashed early on: Caracalla, bold and militaristic, aspired to be a warrior-emperor, while Geta was diplomatic and intellectual, favoring civic duties. Their differences intensified as they grew older, each gathering supporters within Rome’s distinct social circles, with Caracalla aligning with the military and Geta gaining favor among senators and intellectuals.

After their father’s death in 211 CE, the two brothers were meant to rule jointly, but this arrangement quickly deteriorated. Their distrust was evident as they divided the imperial palace, each taking separate wings and creating distinct courts with separate administrative staff and guards. This dysfunctional governance hindered Rome’s stability and generated widespread confusion. They continuously clashed over imperial responsibilities, with each viewing the other as a rival rather than a partner. Their rivalry grew so bitter that both reportedly plotted assassinations against one another.

In a final act of treachery, Caracalla lured Geta to a reconciliation meeting in late December 211 CE in the presence of their mother, Julia Domna, as a show of good faith. However, this meeting turned out to be a trap; Caracalla’s guards ambushed Geta, stabbing him to death as he tried to flee to his mother for protection. Caracalla then initiated a brutal purge of Geta’s supporters, ordering executions and enforcing a “damnatio memoriae” against his brother—erasing Geta’s name and image from records and monuments across the empire. This policy of obliterating Geta’s memory extended even to senators and poets associated with him, with ancient sources estimating that thousands were killed or exiled.

Now ruling alone, Caracalla attempted to strengthen his position through grandiose gestures like the Constitutio Antoniniana in 212 CE, granting Roman citizenship to all free inhabitants, partly as a tax move but also to unify the empire’s diverse population. Nonetheless, his reign was characterized by heavy militarism and harsh oppression, alienating much of Rome’s elite and leading to costly campaigns, including a violent invasion of Parthia inspired by his fascination with Alexander the Great.

Caracalla’s rule ultimately sowed division rather than unity, and he was assassinated in 217 CE by one of his soldiers, allegedly on orders from the Praetorian prefect Macrinus, who then became emperor. The tragic arc of Caracalla and Geta serves as a reminder of how personal and familial conflicts can destabilize empires. Their tale illustrates the dangerous potential of dynastic ambition, the fragility of power, and the devastating consequences of unbridled rivalry within the Roman ruling class.