Carinus

Marcus Aurelius Carinus was the elder son of Carus, left to govern the Western empire while his father and brother campaigned in the East. Ancient sources, largely hostile, portray him as vicious and dissolute, though such characterisations of defeated emperors must be treated cautiously. He proved a competent military commander, suppressing the usurper Julianus at Verona. When his brother Numerian died and Diocletian was acclaimed emperor, Carinus fought back and actually won the initial engagement at the Battle of the Margus, before being killed, reportedly by an officer whose wife he had seduced.

Carinus held the Western empire together during the crisis that followed his father's death, and his military skill at the Margus nearly reversed the rise of Diocletian. His reputation as a tyrant was almost certainly exaggerated by the victorious Diocletianic tradition.

Key Events

Coinage

The coinage of Carinus is fairly plentiful as he reigned nearly two years over the western empire with access to its major mints. His portrait in the mature issues shows a young-ish, bearded man. Joint types with Numerian (VIRTVS AVGG, AETERNIT IMPER) are among the most commonly encountered Carus-dynasty coins.

Related Resources

Further Reading

• Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume V, Part II, Percy H. Webb
• Roman Coins and Their Values, Volume III, David R. Sear