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Geta - Roman Caesar: 198-209 A.D. -
Bronze 27mm (11.9 grams) Struck at the mint of Hadrianopolis in Thrace
198-209 A.D.
AVT K Π CEΠTIMI ΓETAC, Laureate draped bust right.
AΔPIANOΠOΛEITΩN, Asclepius standing facing, leaning on serpent-entwined rod.
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Authenticity.
 The
rod of Asclepius (⚕; sometimes also spelled
Asklepios or Aesculapius), also known as the asklepian,[1]
is an ancient symbol associated with
astrology, the
Greek
god
Asclepius and with
medicine and
healing. It consists of a
serpent entwined around a
staff. The name of the symbol derives from its early and widespread
association with
Asclepius, the son of
Apollo, who was a practitioner of medicine in ancient
Greek mythology. His attributes, the snake and the staff, sometimes depicted
separately in antiquity, are combined in this symbol.[2]
The Rod of Asclepius also represents the constellation
Ophiuchus (or Ophiuchus Serpentarius), the thirteenth sign of the
sidereal zodiac.
Hippocrates himself was a worshipper of Asclepius.[3]
 Asclepius
(pronounced
/æsˈkliːpiəs/,
Greek Ἀσκληπιός,
transliterated Asklēpiós;
Latin
Aesculapius) is the god of
medicine and healing in ancient
Greek religion. Asclepius represents the healing aspect of the medical arts;
his daughters are
Hygieia ("Health"),
Iaso
("Medicine"),
Aceso
("Healing"),
Aglæa/Ægle ("Healthy Glow"), and
Panacea ("Universal Remedy"). The
rod of Asclepius, a snake-entwined staff, remains a symbol of medicine
today, although sometimes the
caduceus, or staff with two snakes, is mistakenly used instead. He was
associated with the Roman/Etruscan god
Vediovis. He was one of Apollo's servants.
 Publius Septimius Geta (March
7, 189–December
26, 211),
was a
Roman Emperor co-ruling with his father
Septimius Severus and his older brother
Caracalla
from 209 to his death.
Early
life
Geta was the younger son of Septimius Severus by his second wife
Julia
Domna. Geta was born in
Rome, at a time
when his father was only a provincial governor at the service of emperor
Commodus.
Geta was always in a place secondary to his older brother Lucius, the heir
known as Caracalla. Perhaps due to this, the relations between the two were
difficult from their early years. Conflicts were constant and often required the
mediation of their mother. To appease his youngest son, Septimius Severus gave
Geta the title of Augustus in 209. During the campaign against the
Britons of the early 3rd century, the imperial propaganda publicized a happy
family that shared the responsibilities of rule. Caracalla was his father's
second in command, Julia Domna the trusted counsellor and Geta had
administrative and bureaucratic duties. Truth was that the rivalry and antipathy
between the brothers was far from being improved.
Joint
Emperor
When Septimius Severus died in
Eboracum in the
beginning of 211, Caracalla and Geta were proclaimed joint emperors and returned
to Rome.
Regardless, the shared throne was not a success: the brothers argued about
every decision, from law to political appointments. Later sources speculate
about the desire of the two of splitting the empire in two halves. By the end of
the year, the situation was unbearable. Caracalla tried to murder Geta during
the festival of
Saturnalia
without success. Later in December he arranged a meeting with his brother in his
mother's apartments, and had him murdered in her arms by
centurions.
Following Geta's assassination, Caracalla
damned his memoryy and ordered his name to be removed from all inscriptions.
The now sole emperor also took the opportunity to get rid of his political
enemies, on the grounds of conspiracy with the deceased.
Cassius
Dio
[1]
stated that around 20,000 persons of both sexes were killed and/or proscribed
during this time.
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