Carinus in Wikipedia
Marcus Aurelius Carinus (died 285) was Roman Emperor (283 – July, 285) and elder son of the Emperor Carus, on whose accession he
was appointed Caesar and co-emperor of the western portion of the empire. Official accounts of his character and career have
been filtered through the propaganda of his successful opponent, Diocletian.
Reign
He fought with success against the Germanic Quadi tribes,[1] 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.[2]
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.[3] 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.[4]
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.[1]
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.[1]
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. [5]
Read More about Carinus in Wikipedia