- Carinus
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Carinus 49th Emperor of the Roman Empire
Bust of Carinus.Reign 282–284 (as Caesar of the west under his father);
284–285 (in competition with Diocletian)Full name Marcus Aurelius Carinus (from birth to elevation to Caesar);
Caesar Marcus Aurelius Carinus (as Caesar);
Caesar Marcus Aurelius Carinus Augustus (as emperor)Died 285 Place of death River Margus Predecessor Carus / Numerian Successor Diocletian Wife Magnia Urbica Offspring Marcus Aurelius Nigrinianus Father Carus Carinus (Latin: Marcus Aurelius Carinus Augustus;[1] died 285), was Roman Emperor 282 to 285. The elder son of emperor Carus, he was appointed Caesar and co-emperor of the western portion of the empire upon his father's accession. Official accounts of his character and career have been filtered through the propaganda of his successful opponent, Diocletian.
Contents
Reign
Aureus of Emperor Carinus.He fought with success against the Germanic Quadi tribes,[2] but soon left the defence of the Upper Rhine to his legates and returned to Rome, where the surviving accounts, which demonize him, assert that he abandoned himself to all kinds of debauchery and excess. More certainly, he also celebrated the annual ludi Romani on a scale of unexampled magnificence.[3]
After the death of Carus, the army in the East demanded to be led back to Europe, and Numerian, the younger son of Carus, was forced to comply.[4] During a halt at Chalcedon, Numerian was found dead, and Diocletian, commander of the body-guards, claimed that Numerian had been assassinated and was proclaimed emperor by the soldiers.[5]
Carinus at once left Rome and set out for the East to meet Diocletian. On his way through Pannonia he put down the usurper Sabinus Iulianus, and encountered the army of Diocletian in Moesia.[2]
Carinus was successful in several engagements, and at the Battle of the Margus River (Morava), according to one account, the valour of his troops had gained the day, when he was assassinated by a tribune whose wife he had seduced. In another account, the battle is represented as having resulted in a complete victory for Diocletian, for Carinus' army deserted him: this second account is also confirmed by the fact that Diocletian kept Carinus' Praetorian Guard commander in service.[2]
Carinus has the reputation of having been one of the worst of the emperors. This infamy was possibly supported by Diocletian himself. For example, Historia Augusta has Carinus marrying nine wives, while neglecting to mention his only real wife, Magnia Urbica, by whom he had an only son, Marcus Aurelius Nigrinianus.
After his death, Carinus' memory was condemned and his name, along with that of his wife, was erased from inscriptions.[6]
References
Primary Sources
- Anonymous, Epitome de Caesaribus
- Aurelius Victor
- Eutropius, Breviarium ab urbe condita
- Historia Augusta, Life of Carus, Carinus and Numerian
- Joannes Zonaras, Compendium of History extract: Zonaras: Alexander Severus to Diocletian: 222–284
Secondary Sources
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
- ^ In Classical Latin, Carinus' name would be inscribed as MARCVS AVRELIVS CARINVS AVGVSTVS.
- ^ a b c Leadbetter, William. Carinus (283–285 A.D.). http://www.roman-emperors.org/carinus.htm.
- ^ Spence, H. Donald M. (2003). Early Christianity and Paganism. Kessinger Publishing. pp. 391–392. ISBN 0766130681.
- ^ Southern, Pat (2001). The Roman Empire from Severus to Constantine. New York: Routledge. p. 133. ISBN 041523944-3.
- ^ Pohlsander, Hans A. (1996). Constantine. Routledge. p. 6. ISBN 0415319382.
- ^ Varner, Eric R. (2004). Mutilation and Transformation : Damnatio Memoriae and Roman Imperial Portraiture. Brill Academic Publishers. p. 212. ISBN 9004135774.
External links
Media related to Carinus at Wikimedia Commons
Regnal titles Preceded by
CarusRoman Emperor
283–285
Served alongside: NumerianSucceeded by
DiocletianPolitical offices Preceded by
Probus ,
VictorinusConsul of the Roman Empire
283–285
with Carus,
Numerian ,
Diocletian,
Bassus,
Titus Claudius Aurelius AristobulusSucceeded by
Marcus Junius Maximus,
Vettius AquilinusCategories:- 285 deaths
- 285 crimes
- 3rd-century Roman emperors
- Imperial Roman consuls
- Crisis of the Third Century
- Murdered Roman emperors
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