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<p>[QUOTE="ancient coin hunter, post: 3465212, member: 87200"]Carus (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_language" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_language" rel="nofollow">Latin</a>: <i>Marcus Aurelius Carus Augustus</i>; c. 222 – July or August 283) was Roman Emperor from 282 to 283, and was 60 at ascension. During his short reign, Carus fought the Germanic tribes and Sarmatians along the Danube frontier with success.</p><p><br /></p><p>He died while campaigning against the Sassanid Empire, probably of unnatural causes, as he was reportedly struck by lightning. He was succeeded by his sons Carinus and Numerian, creating a dynasty which, though short-lived, provided further stability to the resurgent empire.</p><p><br /></p><p>Two traditions surround his accession to the throne in August or September of 282. According to some mostly Latin sources, he was proclaimed emperor by the soldiers after the murder of Probus by a mutiny at Sirmium. Greek sources however claim that he rose against Probus in Raetia in a usurpation and had him killed. The often unreliable Historia Augusta is aware of both traditions, although it prefers the former.</p><p><br /></p><p>He does not seem to have returned to Rome after his accession, contenting himself with an announcement to the Senate. This was a marked departure from the constitutionalism of his immediate predecessors, Tacitus and Probus, who at least outwardly respected the authority of the senate, and was the precursor to the even more despotic military autocracy of Diocletian.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Sassanid King Bahram II, limited by internal opposition and his troops occupied with a campaign in modern-day Afghanistan, could not effectively defend his territory. The Sasanians, faced with severe internal problems, could not mount an effective coordinated defense at the time; Carus and his army may have captured the Sasanian capital of Ctesiphon. The victories of Carus avenged all the previous defeats suffered by the Romans against the Sassanids, and he received the title of <i>Persicus Maximus</i>. Carus was the last Roman emperor to carry, according to Gibbon, Roman arms beyond the Tigris and even hoped to replicate the success of Alexander the Great. Rome's hopes of further conquest, however, were cut short by his death; Carus died in Sassanian territory, probably of unnatural causes, as he was reportedly struck by lightning.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]921709[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Relief at Naqsh-i-Rustam, Iran depicting the supposed victory of Bahram II over Carus.</p><p><br /></p><p>Carus AE Antoninianus. (283 A.D.) 21 mm, 3.3 grams</p><p><br /></p><p>Obverse: IMP CM AVR CARVS PF AVG, radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right</p><p><br /></p><p>Reverse: VIRTVS AVGGG, Carus standing right, receiving Victory from Jupiter, Carinus or Numerian, standing left. officina letter Δ below. Mintmark XXI.</p><p><br /></p><p>Reference: Sear 12190.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]921710[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]921711[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Note the use of AVGGG representing the time when Carus, Carinus, and Numerian all had been elevated to Augustus, hence the coin was struck in 283 A.D.</p><p><br /></p><p>Feel free to post your coins of this short-lived dynastic family. Thanks for looking![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="ancient coin hunter, post: 3465212, member: 87200"]Carus ([URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_language']Latin[/URL]: [I]Marcus Aurelius Carus Augustus[/I]; c. 222 – July or August 283) was Roman Emperor from 282 to 283, and was 60 at ascension. During his short reign, Carus fought the Germanic tribes and Sarmatians along the Danube frontier with success. He died while campaigning against the Sassanid Empire, probably of unnatural causes, as he was reportedly struck by lightning. He was succeeded by his sons Carinus and Numerian, creating a dynasty which, though short-lived, provided further stability to the resurgent empire. Two traditions surround his accession to the throne in August or September of 282. According to some mostly Latin sources, he was proclaimed emperor by the soldiers after the murder of Probus by a mutiny at Sirmium. Greek sources however claim that he rose against Probus in Raetia in a usurpation and had him killed. The often unreliable Historia Augusta is aware of both traditions, although it prefers the former. He does not seem to have returned to Rome after his accession, contenting himself with an announcement to the Senate. This was a marked departure from the constitutionalism of his immediate predecessors, Tacitus and Probus, who at least outwardly respected the authority of the senate, and was the precursor to the even more despotic military autocracy of Diocletian. The Sassanid King Bahram II, limited by internal opposition and his troops occupied with a campaign in modern-day Afghanistan, could not effectively defend his territory. The Sasanians, faced with severe internal problems, could not mount an effective coordinated defense at the time; Carus and his army may have captured the Sasanian capital of Ctesiphon. The victories of Carus avenged all the previous defeats suffered by the Romans against the Sassanids, and he received the title of [I]Persicus Maximus[/I]. Carus was the last Roman emperor to carry, according to Gibbon, Roman arms beyond the Tigris and even hoped to replicate the success of Alexander the Great. Rome's hopes of further conquest, however, were cut short by his death; Carus died in Sassanian territory, probably of unnatural causes, as he was reportedly struck by lightning. [ATTACH=full]921709[/ATTACH] Relief at Naqsh-i-Rustam, Iran depicting the supposed victory of Bahram II over Carus. Carus AE Antoninianus. (283 A.D.) 21 mm, 3.3 grams Obverse: IMP CM AVR CARVS PF AVG, radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right Reverse: VIRTVS AVGGG, Carus standing right, receiving Victory from Jupiter, Carinus or Numerian, standing left. officina letter Δ below. Mintmark XXI. Reference: Sear 12190. [ATTACH=full]921710[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]921711[/ATTACH] Note the use of AVGGG representing the time when Carus, Carinus, and Numerian all had been elevated to Augustus, hence the coin was struck in 283 A.D. Feel free to post your coins of this short-lived dynastic family. Thanks for looking![/QUOTE]
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