Carinus
| 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 |
[edit] Reign
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]
[edit] References
[edit] 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
[edit] 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 0-7661-3068-1.
- ^ Southern, Pat (2001). The Roman Empire from Severus to Constantine. New York: Routledge. p. 133. ISBN 0-415-23944-3.
- ^ Pohlsander, Hans A. (1996). Constantine. Routledge. p. 6. ISBN 0-415-31938-2.
- ^ Varner, Eric R. (2004). Mutilation and Transformation : Damnatio Memoriae and Roman Imperial Portraiture. Brill Academic Publishers. p. 212. ISBN 90-04-13577-4.
[edit] External links
Media related to Carinus at Wikimedia Commons Media related to Magnia Urbica at Wikimedia Commons hohoho
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Carus |
Roman Emperor 283–285 Served alongside: Numerian |
Succeeded by Diocletian |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Probus , Victorinus |
Consul of the Roman Empire 283–285 with Carus, Numerian , Diocletian, Bassus, Titus Claudius Aurelius Aristobulus |
Succeeded by Marcus Junius Maximus, Vettius Aquilinus |
