M. Antoninus Bassianus, emperor after his father Severus in 211, put the physicians to death for not despatching his father, as he would have had them. He killed his brother Geta; and put Papinius to death, because he would not defend nor excuse his parricide. In short, it is said that 20,000 persons were massacred by his order. He married Julia, his father's widow. Going to Alexandria, he slew the inhabitants, and applied to the magicians and astrologers. At last, going from Edessa to Mesopotamia, one of his captains slew him, by order of Macrinus, who succeeded him. He died after he had reigned somewhat more than six years.

antiquity, a long garment, having a sort of capuchin, or hood a-top, and reaching to the heels; worn equally among the Romans by the men and the women, in the city and the camp. Spartan and Xiphilian represent the emperor Caracalla as the inventor of this garment, and hence suppose the appellation Caracalla was first given him. Others, with more probability, make the caracalla originally a Gallic habit, and only brought to Rome by the emperor above mentioned, who first enjoined the soldiery to wear it. The people call it antoninianum, from the same prince, who had borrowed the name of Antoninus. The caracalla was a sort of cassock, or surtont. Salmasius, Scaliger, and after them Du Cange, even take the name casaque to have been formed from that of caraque, for caracalla. This is certain from St Jerome, that the caracalla, with a retrenchment of the capuchin, became an ecclesiastical garment. It is described as made of several pieces cut and sewed together, and hanging down to the feet; but it is more than probable there were some made shorter, especially out of Rome, otherwise we do not see how it could have fitted the soldiers' purposes.