CaracallaLiberalVIIIIDen

AR Caracalla Denarius 211-217 A.D. (18 mm, 3.05g) Rome Mint 214 A.D. Minted to commemorate Caracalla's visit to Pergamum seeking a cure from the shrine of Aesculapius in the year Julia Domna restored the temple of Vesta in the forum. "He campaigned in Germany in 213-214, receiving the title of Germanicus for his achievements, and then headed east for his projected conquest of Parthia. Driven by a crazed obsession to emulate Alexander the Great, his physical and mental health began to deteriorate and he even visited the famous shrine of Asklepios at Pergamum in the hope of finding cures for his numerous ailments." -David Sear RCV II, p. 502. O: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM, laureate head right; RIC 302; BMC 70; RSC 139; RHC 85; C139. R: LIBERAL AVG VIIII, Liberalitas standing left, holding abacus and cornucopiae. G: Superb EF. S: Sayles and Lavender website 2/16/08