A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

886 MACRINUS. MACRINUS.
ference, that, neglecting the claim of the effeminate narrowly escaped being involved in the destruction
Gallienus, the former should assume the purple. of his patron. [PLAUTIANUS.] Having subse.
Having assigned the management bf affairs in the quently received several appointments of trust in
East to one of his sons, Quietus, he set out with the imperial household, he was at length named
the other for Italy. They were encountered by praefect of the praetorians, by Caracalla, and disAureolus on the confines of Thrace and Illyria, de- charged the duties of that high office with the
feated and slain, A. D. 262. greatest prudence and integrity, whenever he was
MACRIANUS, JUNIOR, the son of the pre- permitted to follow the dictates of his own inceding, shared the power and the fate of his father. clinations uncontrolled. The death of Caracalla
Indeed it seems probable that the chief authority took place on the 8th of April, A. D. 217 [CARAwas vested in his person, for all the coins hitherto CALLA], and on the 11th Macrinus, who had
discovered, bearing the name of these pretenders, hitherto abstained from coming forward openly,
exhibit the effigy of a young man, while it is lest he might be suspected of having participated
certain that the general of Valerian was far ad- in the plot, having, through the secret agency of
vanced in life at the time of his appointment. his friends, succeeded in gaining over the soldiers
But as there is one coin which represents Ma- by the promise of a liberal donative, was procrianus with a beard, while in all the others he claimed emperor, the title of Caesar being at the
has no beard, it has been conjectured that this same time conferred upon his son Diadumenianus
coin refers to the elder Macrianus. Moreover, [DIADUMENIANUS]., He immediately repealed the
a difficulty arises with regard to the medals additional tax imposed by his predecessor on manuof Alexandria, some of which present the names missions and inheritances, and expressed a deterT. 4,. IOTN. MAKPIANO2 (Titus Fulvius Junius mination to abolish all unlawful exactions both in
Macrianus), while others have M. or MA. (POT. the city and in the provinces. The senate, filled
MAKPIANOZ (Marcus Fulvius Macrianus), as if with joy on receiving intelligence of the death of
they represented different individuals. The MSS. their hated tyrant, gladly confirmed the choice of
of the Augustan historians vary much between the army.
Macrianus and Macfinus. Zonaras (xii. 24) uni- The emperor at once marched to meet Artabanus
formly distinguishes the father by the latter, and the Parthian, who, burning with rage on account
the son by the former appellation. (Trebell. Poll. of the dishonour and loss sustained through the
Trig. Tyrann. Vit. Macrian. et Gallien. 1, 2, 3. See treachery of Caracalla, and confident in his own
Tillemont on the alleged magical power of Ma- strength, had haughtily rejected all offers of accomcrianus.) [W. R.] modation, except upon such terms as it was impossible to accept. The opposing hosts encountered
near Nisibis,. the Romans were signally defeated,
4B ~,<~wand after having been compelled to purchase the
forbearance of the conqueror, by a great sum of
WT <~<t\ Q a Rmoney and heavy sacrifices, retired, covered with
tight 1 b _ t~dtX disgrace, into Syria. At the commencement of the
following year a discontented and mutinous spirit
<5gJ ~ ~began to be openly displayed in the legions, who
found the sovereign of their choice far less indulgent and open-handed than the son of Severus.
COIN OF MACRIANUS SENIOR. Taking advantage of these feelings, Julia Maesa
[MAESA], who was at that time living at Emesa,
persuaded the detachments quartered in the vicinity that her grandson Elagabalus was in reality
the child of Caracalla, and having seduced them
_~- "', ~~ ~ ~W ffi<oX. from their allegiance by lavish offers, induced them
t~ 6 A Xto receive the boy into their camp, and to acknowledge him as their prince. Macrinus advanced to
Antioch to crush the impostor, but after an engagement, fought on the 8th of June, A. D. 218, in
which great cowardice was displayed on both sides,
the fortune of the day having been eventually deCOIN OF MACRIANUS.JUNIOR. *cided by the energy and bold example of Maesa
and Soemias, he was compelled to fly, and, casting
away his royal robes, reached Chalcedon disguised
MACRI'NUS, a- friend of the younger Pliny, in mean attire. There he was quickly betrayed,
to whom the latter addresses many of his letters, was dragged back, and slain in Cappadocia, in the
but of whose life we have no particulars. (Plin. fifty-fourth or fifty-fifth year of his age, after a
Ep. ii. 7, iii. 4, vii. 6, 10, viii. 17, ix. 4.) reign of fourteen months. His head, and that of
MACRI'NUS, Roman emperor,-April, A. D. 217 his son, who had been discovered and put to death
-June, A. D. 218. M. OPEr.IUS (OR OPILIUS) elsewhere, were stuck upon poles, and carried
MACRINUS, afterwards M. OPELIUS SEVERUS MA- about in triumph. If we can trust Capitolinus, he
CRiNS, - at whose instigation Caracalla was assas- scarcely deserves our pity, for he is represented by
sinated, when marching to encounter the Parthians, the Augustan historian as haughty, blood-thirsty
was a native of Caesareia in Mauritania, and was and inhumanly cruel in the infliction of punishborn of very humble parents, in the year A. D. 164. ments. Great complaints were made of the number
Having been recommended to the notice of Plau- of unfitting and unworthy persons invested by
tianus, the'all-powerful favourite of Septimius him with the highest dignities. (Dion Cass.
Severus, he was admitted into his employment, and lxxxviii. 11-41; Capitolin. Macrin.; Aurel. Vict