Carinus

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Aureus of Carinus

Marcus Aurelius Carinus († 285) was Roman Emperor from 283 to 285 . He was the elder son of Emperor Carus . When he ascended the throne, he was promoted to Caesar and in the spring of 283 to Augustus , responsible for the western part of the empire.

Carinus was already a grown man when his father took the throne. He had been married to Magnia Urbica since 283 and had a son named Nigrinianus but died shortly after he was born. He also entered the consulate with his father in 283 . The negative descriptions of Carinus in some sources probably go back to later propaganda from the time of Diocletian and are therefore to be regarded as untrustworthy. Rather, there is some evidence that Carinus was a thoroughly capable regent.

After Carus 'death at the end of July 283, the army, which was still in Mesopotamia in the course of a campaign against the Sassanid Empire , demanded to be returned to the west, and Numerian , Carus' younger son, was forced to agree. During this march back Numerian died; several sources speak of a murder, but it is also possible that he died of an eye infection. In any case, Diocletian , commander of the life guards, was proclaimed the new emperor by the soldiers. Carinus had won several victories over Teutons in 283 , without the presence of the emperor there were victories in Britain .

Antoninian of Carinus
Back of the Antoninian: Carinus receives a globe from the hand of Carus. Inscription : Virtus Augg. (= Virtus Augustorum).

The dead father and the dead brother were deified by Carinus (probably early 285). Then Carinus set out east to meet Diocletian. On his way through Pannonia he submitted the usurper Julian and then met in Moesia on the army of Diocletian.

Carinus was successful in various meetings, but after the Battle of Margus (the Morava in today's Serbia), which his troops had won, he was murdered, apparently at the instigation of Diocletian, who now ruled unrestrictedly.

Contemporary coins show on the reverse how Carinus receives a globe (with Victoria, the goddess of victory above) from Carus' hand. The inscription reads Virtus Augustorum (bravery of the emperors) .

literature

  • Klaus Altmayer: The rule of Carus, Numerianus and Carinus as a forerunner of the tetrarchy. Steiner, Stuttgart 2014.

Web links

Commons : Carinus  - album with pictures, videos and audio files

Remarks

  1. ↑ on Carinus also Gerald Kreucher: Probus and Carus . In: Klaus-Peter Johne (Ed.): The time of the soldiers' emperors . Vol. 1. Berlin 2008, pp. 395-423, here: 420ff.
  2. ↑ For the course of events, see Kreucher, Probus and Carus , p. 422f. The dating of the battle is disputed; partly spring, partly late summer 285 is being considered.
predecessor Office successor
Carus Roman emperor
283–285 		Diocletian
personal data
SURNAME Carinus
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Carinus, Marcus Aurelius
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Roman Emperor (283-285)
DATE OF BIRTH 3rd century
DATE OF DEATH 285