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In 197 AD, Augustus Septimus Severus appointed his cousin and comrade Lucius Fulvius Plautianus to serve as commander of the Praetorian Guard. To further cement the bond with his most trusted and important bodyguard, Severus married his eldest son and co-Augustus, Caracalla, to Plautianus’ only daughter, Plautilla (c. 185 - 212). Although Severus was evidently very trusting of his long-time friend, the rest of the family, particularly Caracalla, had reservations.
All accounts in unanimity, the 202 AD wedding of Plautilla and Caracalla was a grandiose gala, perhaps one ofthe grandest of its kind Rome had ever seen. Even so, the imperial newlyweds were not particularly pleased regarding either the festivities or their forced partnership. Caracalla was only 14 at the time, younger than Plautilla by an uncertain, perhaps relatively wide, margin. He reportedly hated his new bride to the extent he refused to dine or sleep with her (although numismatic evidence suggests they had a daughter, whose name and fate are unknown).
Albeit under highly uncomfortable circumstances, Plautilla was now Augusta, and honored as such, for example on coinage such as this denarius, struck in Rome in 202-203 AD. Although Plautilla had no blood relation to the Emesans, her profile bears similarities to the imperial women of that clan. The inscription framing her visage boldly proclaims her as PLAUTILLA AVGVSTA. On the reverse is Concordia, the Roman goddess personifying related concepts such as concord, agreement, and harmony, with the inscription CONCORDIA AVGG. On Roman coins, Concordia was often employed to convey concord of the Emperor with his subjects, and, more importantly, with the Roman military. In this instance, the intent might have been to promote concord among the imperial family, which now included Plautilla and her father.
This depiction of Concordia provides a classic numismatic example of Roman propaganda that ultimately proved ironic. In early 205 AD, Plautianus was executed according to an imperial request. The exact events leading up to the exsanguination are uncertain, but it is likely that Caracalla finally convinced his father - falsely or not - that Plautianus was a traitor who flagrantly abused his station and carried out many cruel crimes.
Regardless of what actually transpired, the result was that Plautianus was dead, and his memory ordered erased from all history. The situation was bittersweet for poor Plautilla. She mourned the death of her father, yet, at the same time was relieved to be expelled from the presence of Caracalla, who ordered her divorce and exile to the island of Lipara.
It is not certain why Plautilla was spared at the time, while so very many of those associated with her father were purged. Likely, the daughterless Severus was highly fond of Plautilla and forbade the deed. The validity of this sentiment aside, soon after Severus’ death in 211 AD, Caracalla ordered the elimination of the Plautianus branch of the Fulvius clan.
Coin Details: ROMAN EMPIRE, Plautilla, Augusta, AD 202-205, AR Denarius (19mm, 3.28 g, 12h), Rome mint, struck under Septimius Severus and Caracalla, AD 202-203, NGC Grade: MS*, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5, Obverse: Draped bust right, PLAVTILLA AVGVSTA, Reverse: Concordia standing left, holding patera and scepter, CONCORDIA AVGG, References: RIC IV 363b (Caracalla); RSC 1.