CARINUS, MARCUS AURELIUS, Roman emperor, A.D. 283-84, was the elder son of the Emperor Carus, on whose acces sion he was appointed governor of the western portion of the empire. He fought with success against the German tribes, but soon left the defence of the Upper Rhine to his legates and returned to Rome, where he abandoned himself to dissipation. He also celebrated the ludi Romani on a magnificent scale. After the death of Carus, the army in the East demanded to be led back to Europe; Numecrianus, the younger son of Carus, was forced to comply, but was murdered on the way, and Diocletian, com mander of the bodyguards, was proclaimed emperor by the sol diers. Carinus at once marched against Diocletian, whom he met in Moesia. Carinus was successful in several engagements, but at the battle on the Margus (Morava), according to one account, he was assassinated in the hour of victory; another tradition represents the battle as a complete victory for Diocletian.
See Vopiscus, Carinus (mainly the recital of his crimes) ; Aurelius Victor, De Caesaribus, 38, Epit. 38; Eutropius ix. 18-20; Zonaras xii. 3o ; Orosius vii. 25 ; Pauly-Wissowa, Realencyklopadie, ii. 24 ff. (Henze) .