the younger of the two sons of the emperor Carus, and his companion in the expedition
against the Persians, undertaken in CARUS], which they regarded as a direct manifestation of the wrath of
heaven, and an evident fulfilment of the ancient prophecy which fixed the river Tigris as the
limit of the Roman sways the soldiers refused to advance. Yielding to their superstitious
terrors, Numerianus commenced a retreat in the very hour of victory, and slowly retraced his
steps towards the Thracian Bosporus. During the greater part of the march, which lasted for
eight months, he was duly confined to his litter by an affection of the eyes, induced, it is
said, by excessive weeping. After this seclusion had continued for a considerable period, dark
reports began to circulate, and the excitement increasing by degrees, at length became so
fierce that the soldiers forced their way into the Imperial tent, and discovered the dead body
of their prince. The concealment practised by Arrius Aper, praefect of the praetorians,
father-in-law of the deceased, and who had lately acted as his representative, gave rise to
the worst suspicions. He was publicly arraigned of the murder in a military council, held at
Chalcedon, and, without being permitted to speak in his own defence, was stabbed to the heart
by Diocletian, whom the troops had already proclaimued emperor, and whe on this occasion acted
with a degree of hasty violence strangely at variance with the calmness of his well-regulated
mind. [DIOCLETIANUS.]
The Augustan historian represents Numerianus as a prince remarkable alike for moral and
intellectual excellence. He gained universal love and admiration by gentleness of temper,
affability of address, and purity of life, while at the same time he bore away the palm in
eloquence and poetry from all his contemporaries-virtues and accomplishments which shone the
more conspicuous and bright when contrasted with the brutal profligacy and savage cruelty of
his brother and colleague Carinus [CARINUS]. (Vopisc. Nunerian. ; Aur. Vict. Epit. 38, de
Caes. 38;