Ah they and welcome to Emperor's of Rome, a Roman history podcast from Latrobe University.

I'm your host Matt Smith and with me today is Dr.

Kalin Davenport, senior lecturer in Roman history at Macquarie University.

This is episode CXV, Ossonian Beast.

After unleashing his unique brand of rule on the people of Rome,

Caracala becomes the problem of the provinces.

After 212, he'll spend the rest of his reign either at war or on tour, making

the Beast of Italy a problem for all Romans to deal with. He is Kalin Davenport. Caracala spends most of 212 in Rome itself causing havoc, but in late 212,

212, early 213, he leaves for the northern provinces in order to fight against the

al-amani who are a Germanic tribe who are threatening the frontiers of a province called Rightia.

This is the area of modern day Bavaria, southern Germany. So this is a new tribe who Rome hasn't fought before. So Caracalla

is going to go to the front in person and deal with this threat.

So what's this incentive to go in person then?

I suppose it would be good to get away from Rome and get a bit of space between yourself

and the havoc that you've caused.

But also I get the impression from Karakala that he's got a real desire, a real enthusiasm for being involved in warfare.

Yes, he wants to be seen as a military leader in his own right, not someone who's just following his

father around campaigning with him.

He wants to be appreciated as a fellow soldier but also as a military leader.

So it's really important that he go to the front in person.

But he legitimately had a contribution to make almost. He was very physical and

outgoing with the way that he lived and led his soldiers. Definitely. So I mean this is someone who was trained in horse riding. He liked to swim in rough water.

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