NUMERIAN (283-284)

"Putrefactio – The Decay of Rot" Numerian was the younger son of Emperor Carus. In the summer of 282 CE, he was appointed Caesar alongside his older brother Carinus. He married the daughter of the Praetorian Prefect Arrius Aper. After his father's death in the summer of 283 CE near Ctesiphon, he assumed the title of Augustus. He concluded the war with the Persians and began the journey back to Roman territory.

Numerian died during the return march, and his body was discovered in a camp near Nicomedia. He was the victim of a conspiracy orchestrated by Aper. According to the Historia Augusta, Aper concealed the emperor's body in a litter for several days, claiming that Numerian was afflicted with an eye disease, which prevented him from appearing before the troops. However, the truth was betrayed by the stench of the decomposing corpse. After his death, the army proclaimed Diocletian, a member of Numerian's imperial guard, as the new emperor.