A man does not become emperor by bloodline alone. It must be taken by force and kept by force! Are you such a man as this?—Macrinus, to Lucius Verus, Gladiator II
Macrinus is a businessman and arms-dealer. Described as a powerbroker, he supplies food, wine and oil for the armies of Rome, manufacturers various weapons and has a stable of gladiators. He was once a gladiator himself, who won his freedom.
History[]
Macrinus is present when prisoners of war captured in General Acacius's raid of Numidia are exhibited at the Colosseum. He watches as savage monkeys are set upon them and is impressed particularly by the performance of one "Hanno," declaring to the Emperors Caracalla and Geta his intention to purchase him as a Gladiator.
In the aftermath, a party is held to celebrate Acacius's victory. During the affair, Geta asks Hanno about his origins, only for him to remain entirely silent. Macrinus apologizes for him, claiming that he does not speak their native tongue, only for Hanno to then surprise them all by reciting poetry from Virgil.
Macrinus tells Hanno that he senses rage and fury within him. He asks him whose head he could give him that would satisfy this fury. To this Hanno replies "the entire Roman army." Macrinus answers that this is too much and Hanno replies that "the general will do," referring to General Acacius. Later, when Lucilla and General Acacius, her husband, hatch a plot to overthrow Caracalla and Geta, Senator Thraex, who is in on the plan, informs Macrinus, as he owes money to him. Macrinus in turn informs Caracalla and Geta, putting a stop to the plan before it can even get off the ground.
The two emperors are beside themselves with rage, particularly Caracalla, the less-sane brother who is suffering from a disease of the brain and wants the immediate death of them both. Macrinus, however, arranges things so that instead Lucilla is to watch as Acacius is executed in the Colosseum by Hanno. As a delicious twist, Hanno is actually her own son, secretly Lucius Verus, the Prince of Rome. At first, Lucius is all to happy to have the chance to kill Acacius. Acacius, however, convinces Lucius to spare him, talking of his respect for Lucius's father, the Gladiator Maximus Decimus Meridius, and telling him that he truly loves his mother. The emperors shout for Lucius to kill him, but when he will not, they instead have the Prateorian Guard shoot him to death with arrows. Lucius then stokes the anger of the crowd, asking if this is how Rome treats its heroes.
In the aftermath, Macrinus chastises Lucius for having let Acacius live. In response, Lucius points out that he had bought a Gladiator and not a slave. "My will is my own," he tells him. "Perhaps the heart of a Roman beats in that chest," comments Macrinus. He says that Romans built the Colosseum because they like power, watching the strong take down the weak. Lucius says that there must be another way and Macrinus tells him that there is no other way, that the dream of Rome is an old man's fantasy. Lucius asks what his real name is, who he was before he became the man he is now, but he tells him he will never know. He tells Lucius that he will be his instrument, but Lucius shoots back "I will never be your instrument in this life or the next," echoing the words of his father, Maximus.
Macrinus goes to the two emperors, who are taking refuge in the palace against the angry mob that has formed against him. He stokes the anger of Caracalla, who believes that his brother, Geta, has been plotting against him. Together, the two of them confront Geta and then kill him, slicing off his head. The two then go before the Senate, Carcalla declaring his pet monkey, Dundus, to be his first consort and Macrinus his second. Macrinus then presents the Senate with Geta's head as a warning.
The two of them take Lucilla in chains to the Colosseum, declaring that she is to be executed by the Praetorian Guard, but shall be granted a lone defender - her own son, the Gladiator Lucius Verus. Macrinus is shocked when Lucius turns out not to be alone, having freed his fellow captive Gladiators, who all come together with him to fight the Prateorian Guard. Caracalla is beside himself with delight at the unexpected turn of events, declaring "War! Real war!" but Macrinus stabs him in the ear, killing him. He then takes up a bow, shooting and killing Lucilla, then flees the scene.
Lucius takes off after Macrinus. As Macrinus flees, he finds himself up against the forces of General Acacius, whom Lucius managed to summon with the help of the friendly doctor, Ravi. These forces and the forces of the Praetorian Guard seem destined for a clash, but hold their swords when it becomes clear that Lucius and Macrinus are to battle. Macrinus questions Lucius's right to rule, if he is a man of power, but Lucius declares that he fights not for power, but to free Rome from men like him. Macrinus declares his rule ordained by the gods, but Lucius asks what if the gods in fight sent him to kill him. The two fight fiercely, Lucius ultimately winning the day and freeing Rome from the tyranny of Macrinus and those like him.
Historical accuracy[]
The real-life Macrinus served as a bureaucrat under Septimius Severus before assassinating Caracalla while he was on campaign, and briefly becoming emperor himself (being the first Emperor to not hail from a senatorial background, but an equestrian one - even Septimius Severus, the first emperor who was not completely Roman- having Libyan noble ancestry on his mother's side, had patrician senators among his forebears - thus, it was his status, rather than his Mauritanian ancestry- that caused reticence in the Roman senate).
He had a young son, Diadumenian, who he elevated to co-rule - however, though he'd used the army to strongarm himself onto the imperial throne- he soon faced numerous challenges; the former emperor, Caracalla had been belligerent- rather than diplomatic, and at the time of his death- there were several conflicts left for Macrinus to resolve. He aimed to peaceably settle what he could, and only move to militancy where it was unavoidable. Caracalla had also been a profligate spender, whose main focus was the army (and their very generous pay); he could not risk alienating them, but he also could not retain their outrageous pay- so, as a balancing measure- veterans would be let keep their current payrate, but new recruits would have theirs reduced to the level which had been set by Severus. He also revalued the Roman currency; while it might have been a good means to return Rome to the relative economic stability that had been enjoyed under Severus' reign- it came with a cost. The fiscal changes that he enacted might have been tenable had it not been for the military. By this time, the strength of the military was too great- and by enacting his reforms he angered the veteran soldiers, who viewed his actions in reducing the pay of new recruits as a foreshadowing of eventual reductions in their own privileges and pay. This significantly reduced Macrinus' popularity with the legions that had declared him emperor.
Something that the Severan women (the in-laws of the late Septimius Severus) would not hesitate to make use of; returning to their powerbase in Syria- their hometown of Emesa was fortuitously nearby the Roman camp of Raphanea- and soldiers from Legio III Gallica (the Gallic Third Legion), often visited Emesa - Julia Maesa (Domna's sister) took advantage of this, lavishly giving gifts to officers and men, suggesting to the soldiers that Elagabalus was the illegitimate son of Caracalla- the man who'd always paid them so well. The family were taken into the protection of the camp, and the 14-year old Elagabalus was proclaimed emperor by the legion.
Macrinus sent a force of cavalry to regain control of the rebels, but it failed, as several defected and the commander died. This failure further strengthened Elagabalus' army. Macrinus eventually fought a losing battle, and was soon forced to flee the field; he intended to return to Rome (he'd made Antioch his residence after Caracalla's death, and didn't return to Rome during his brief rule), but was recognised and captured. His son and co-emperor Diadumenianus, sent to the care of Roman enemy, Artabanus IV of Parthia (possibly as part of a means of securing a military alliance), was captured in transit- and executed on the new young emperor's order, being about 10 when he died. Macrinus, upon learning of his son's death, tried to escape captivity, but he injured himself in the unsuccessful attempt, and was afterward executed; his head was sent to Elagabalus- who kept the preserved heads of father and son, as a trophy.
His rule had barely been a year, from April of 217-June 218. Elagabalus ordered the Senate to declare the usurpers hostes, enemies of the state and pass a damnatio memoriae over the pair. These actions against Macrinus are evidence of his unpopularity in Rome.
Behind the scenes[]
An article for Empire magazine describes Macrinus as being the greatest threat in Gladiator II, noting that the most dangerous people can also be the most charming. Actor Denzel Washington described Macrinus as being "a man who takes advantage of people," continuing that he wasn't being coy but that was the most honest he could keep it. He continued that he is willing to do whatever it takes to be Emperor.[1]
References[]
- ↑ Empire - "Unleash Hell" by Hayley Campbell, October 2024