Select Observations of Roman Emperors, Life 24
Opilius Macrinus. and his Son Antoninus Diadumenus.
MAcrinus was of so obscure parentage,Parentum origine tam ignobili; ut longè aptissimè illi asino, quem a genio deductum in Palatium diximus, assimilatus fuerit. Dio Leunclavii in octavo, p. 904. that according to the custom of the Moors, he had one of his ears bored through. Xiphiline.
He was made a Prefect by |Caracallus omnium durissimus, & ut uno complectamur verbo, parricida & incest…s, patris, matris, fratris inimicus, a Macrino qui eum occidera…, timore milium, ac maximè praetorianorum, inter deos relatus est. Spartianus in Caracallo, c. 11.Caracalla, after whose death he was elected Emperor by the Soldiers, who were ignorant of his treason, the suspicion whereof he escaped by a seeming sorrow.
The Romans were so glad of Caracalla's death, that they considered not whether Macrinus was good or bad; Macrini imperium lubentibus animis admittebant, non tam secum expendentes, cuinam servituri essent, quam quo tyranno essent liberati: & quemvis e vulgo putantes ipso futurum optabiliorem. Dio Leunclanii in octavo p. 908.
He made his son Diadumenus, Caesar; so *Ferunt Diadematum puerum appellatum: sed ubi adoleverit, avi sui nomine materni, Diadumenum vocatum; quamvis non multum abhorruerit abillo signo diadematis nomen Diadumeni. Lampriaius. in Diadumeno.called either from his Grand-Father by the Mothers side, or because he was born with a Diadem on his head, like a bowstring. Lampridius in Diadumeno. c. 4.
They did nothing memorable by reason of the short time of their reign. Eutropius. lib. 8.
He commanded Diadumenus forthwith to be called Antoninus by the Soldiers; and assumed to himself the name of Severus, whose memory he pretended to reverence, that he might deface the suspicion of assasinating his Son, saith Tristan.
He imitated Marcus Aurelius in a slow pace and low voice, and Nero in a cruel life.
Instead of Macrinus he was by his own servants called Macellinus, as one would say Butcher, quod macelli specie domus ejus cruentaretur sanguine vernularum. Because his house was like a shamble of murthered men. Capitolinus in Macrino, c. 13.
He was named Mezentius, because like him, he joined live bodies to dead.
He commanded 2 Soldiers, who had ravished their hostesses maid, to be sewed up in the bellies of 2 great Oxen, their heads only left out that they might speak one to another.
He caused those Soldiers who committed adultery to be tyed to the women, and burnt alive; though his wife Nonia Celsa was insatiable that way.
He shut living men in seiled walls, where they dyed miserably.
Mothe le Vayer in his Opuscules, p. 27, &c. thinketh that one reason why Macrinus banished Lucius Priscillianus a valiant Captain into an Island where he dyed, was because he had the boldness to encounter 4 such fierce beasts, as a Bear, a Leopard, a Lyoness and a Lyon; though his cruel carriage under Caracalla who advanced him, afforded sufficient pretence for his punishment, as Dion informeth us, l. 78.
Macrinus said he was clement, when he punished but one Soldier in an hundred with capital punishment for a mutiny, when he thought they deserved to be decimated, or at least one in 20 to suffer.
Having written to the Senate, that he knew no body desired his death, Fulvius Diogenianus cryed out; Yes but we all do.
Having concluded a peace with Artabanus the Parthian King, he returned to Antioch in Syria, and there spent his time in sensual pleasures; being drenched so far therein, that the Army began to dislike his government, and to favour young Bassianus then at Emesa in Phoenicia, with Maesa his Grand-mother by his mothers side: who there had built a Temple to the Sun, and ordained him a Priest, for which he was called Helagabalus, in the Phoenician language, The Priest of the Sun. To this Temple resorted many of the Soldiers, and seeing his beauty, allured Maesa to bring him to their Camp; where reported to be the Son of Caracalla, the Soldiers proclaimed him Emperor, and maintained his right against Macrinus: who met him in the confines between Phoenicia and Syria, fought a bloudy battel, but being put to flight, hasted to *Dio non in loco tantum caedis, sed in historia etiam Diadumeni variat. Boeclerus in Herodianum, p. 438.Chalcedon, fell sick, and was slain by the Soldiers (with his Son Diadumenus) because he contracted their pay, and suppressed their luxury. Victor's Epitome.
Macrinus a thing made by chance, and overthrown by chance; came from a base progeny, and was ruined by an Infant. Sir W. Cornwallis the younger in his Encomium of Iulian the Apostate.
His fate was foretold by the Oracle in these verses.
foreign,
foreign.
Est juvenum, miserande senex, tibi noxia pugna,
Nec tibi sunt vires, seniique gravis dolor instat.
Pater timidus & impudens fuit, Caesus est cum filio, nihil ex paterna claritate praeter immeritam mortem auferente.qui pacem emit a Parthis; honores dedit indignis. Sed nec in filio quicquam, praeter pulchritudinem, memorabile. Chr. Ad. Ruperti Observat. in Synop. Besoldi min. p. 348.
Macrinus's defeat arising from fear,Bussieres in Flosculis Historiarum. was ominously signified by a Dove flying to the Statue of Severus (whose name he assumed) when the Senate received his letters. Dio Leunclavii in octavo, p: 915, 916.
Laudem Macrinus supra mortales alios invenisset, si non pro se adpetivisset imperium; sed aliquem è Senatu delectum, qui Romanis praeesset rebus, imperatorem designasset. Hac nimirum sola ratione culpam paratarum Caracallo insidiarum (veluti qui suae tantummodo salutis causa, non imperii cupiditate adductus, earum fuisset auctor) evitasset. Nunc autem & infamiae notam sibimet ipse inussit, & seipsum ita perdidit; ut illa tam contumelia, quam calamitate, dignissimus fuerit. Nam qui regnum adfectavit id temporis, quo ne senatoris quidem nomen adhuc habebat: idem & celerimè pariter & non sine gravissimis aerumnis amisit. Id. ibid. p. 917.
He lived 54 years, reigned one year and 2 months.
Principis hic custos, sumptum pro Caesare ferrum
Vertit in auctorem caede Macrinus iners.
Mox cum prole ruit. Gravibus pulsare querelis
Cesset perfidiam. Quae patitur, meruit.
Ausonius.