Geta (189-211 CE) was the younger son of Emperor Septimius Severus; born in Rome during the reign of Emperor Commodus. Geta fought often with his older brother Caracalla; and would require the mediation of their mother Julia Domna. Septimius Severus named Geta 'Augustus' in 209; making him a co-emperor alongside Caracalla; who had been named co-emperor over 10 years ago; in 198 CE.

Septimius Severus died in early 211 CE; with Geta and Caracalla declared joint emperors and ordered back to Rome. Their hatred and rivalry of one another did not abate though; and there were even talks about splitting the empire in two halves so that they could rule peacefully; before their mother talked them out of it. The situation became so hostile that Carcalla tried to unsuccessfully murder Geta once; before finally succeeding a second time when he had his mother arrange a peace meeting and having his centurions murder Geta in his mother's arms.

After Geta's death; Caracalla had him declared 'damnatio memoriae'; with every statue; portrait or painting of him destroyed; and his very name was banned from being spoken or written. Over 20;000 people were killed on Caracalla's orders after he attempted to remove any political enemies and those he considered allies of Geta.