Editing Macrinus (section)

== Downfall ==
[[File:Aureus Macrinus-RIC 0079.jpg|thumb|300px|An [[aureus]] of Macrinus. Its elaborate symbolism celebrates the ''[[liberalitas]]'' ("prodigality") of Macrinus and his son [[Diadumenian]]us. Inscription: IMP. C. M. OPEL. SEV. MACRINVS AVG. / LIBERALITAS AVG.]]
Julia Maesa had retired to her home town of Emesa with an immense fortune, which she had accrued over the course of twenty years. She took her children, [[Julia Soaemias]] and [[Julia Mamaea]], and grandchildren, including Elagabalus, with her to Emesa.{{sfn|Gibbon|1776|p=182}} Elagabalus, aged 14, was the chief priest of the [[Phoenicia]]n [[Solar deity|sun-deity]] [[Elagabalus (deity)|Elagabalus]] (or El-Gabal) in Emesa.{{sfn|Gibbon|1776|p=182}}{{sfn|Vagi|2000|pp=295–296}} Soldiers from [[Legio III Gallica|Legio III ''Gallica'']] (Gallic Third Legion), that had been stationed at the nearby camp of [[Raphanea]], often visited Emesa and went to see Elagabalus perform his priestly rituals and duties while there.{{sfn|Gibbon|1776|p=182}}{{sfn|Goldsworthy|2009|p=[https://archive.org/details/howromefelldeath0000gold/page/77 77]}} Julia Maesa took advantage of this, to suggest to the soldiers that Elagabalus was indeed the illegitimate son of Caracalla.{{sfn|Dunstan|2011|p=407}}{{sfn|Gibbon|1776|p=182}} On 16 May, Elagabalus was proclaimed emperor by the Legio III ''Gallica'' at its camp at Raphanea.{{sfn|Goldsworthy|2009|p=[https://archive.org/details/howromefelldeath0000gold/page/78 78]}} Upon Elagabalus' revolt, Macrinus travelled to Apamea and conferred the title of Augustus onto his son, Diadumenianus, and made him co-emperor.{{sfn|Vagi|2000|pp=289–290}}

=== Execution ===
Macrinus realised that his life was in danger but struggled to decide upon a course of action and remained at Antioch.{{sfn|Gibbon|1776|p=169}} He sent a force of cavalry commanded by [[Ulpius Julianus]] to regain control of the rebels, but they failed and Ulpius died in the attempt. This failure further strengthened Elagabalus' army.{{sfn|Gibbon|1776|p=169}}{{sfn|Mennen|2011|p=15}} Soon after, a force under Elagabalus' tutor Gannys marched on Antioch and engaged Macrinus' army on 8 June 218 near the village of Immae, located approximately {{convert|24|mi|km}} from Antioch.{{sfn|Glanville|1961|pp=248–250}} At some point during the ensuing [[Battle of Antioch (218)|Battle of Antioch]], Macrinus deserted the field and returned to Antioch.{{sfn|Glanville|1961|pp=248–250}} He was then forced to flee from Antioch as fighting erupted in the city as well.{{sfn|Glanville|1961|pp=248–250}} Elagabalus himself subsequently entered Antioch as the new ruler of the Roman Empire.{{sfn|Icks|2011|p=14}} Macrinus fled for Rome; he travelled as far as [[Chalcedon]] before being recognized and captured.{{sfn|Crevier|1814|p=236–237}} His son and co-emperor Diadumenianus, sent to the care of Artabanus IV of Parthia, was himself captured in transit at [[Zeugma (Commagene)|Zeugma]] and killed in June 218.{{sfn|Dunstan|2011|p=407}}{{sfn|Vagi|2000|pp=289–290}}{{sfn|Crevier|1814|p=236–237}} Diadumenianus' reign as emperor lasted less than one month, and he was about 10 years old when he died.{{sfn|Vagi|2000|pp=289–290}} Macrinus, upon learning of his son's death, tried to escape captivity, but he injured himself in the unsuccessful attempt{{sfn|Crevier|1814|p=236–237}} and was afterward executed in [[Cappadocia]]; his head was sent to Elagabalus.{{sfn|Crevier|1814|p=236–237}} Much like Macrinus, Diadumenianus' head was also cut off and sent to Elagabalus as a trophy.{{sfn|Bunson|2014|p=173}}

=== ''Damnatio memoriae'' ===
Macrinus and his son [[Diadumenian]] were declared ''hostes'', enemies of the state, by the Senate immediately after news had arrived of their deaths and as part of an official declaration of support for the usurper Elagabalus, who was recognized in the Senate as the new Emperor. The declaration of ''hostes'' led to two actions being taken against the images of the former Emperors. First, their portraits were destroyed and their names were stricken from inscriptions and papyri. The second action, taken by the Roman soldiers who had rebelled against Macrinus in favour of Elagabalus, was to destroy all of the works and possessions of Macrinus. The ''[[damnatio memoriae]]'' against Macrinus is among the earliest of such sanctions enacted by the Senate. Many of the marble busts of Macrinus that exist were defaced and mutilated as a response to the ''damnatio memoriae'' and many of the coins depicting Macrinus and Diadumenianus were also destroyed. These actions against Macrinus are evidence of his unpopularity in Rome.{{sfn|Varner|2004|pp=184–188}}