​NUMERIANUS, MARCUS AURELIUS, son of the Roman emperor Carus. On the death of his father, whom he accompanied on his expedition against the Persians, he was proclaimed emperor (December, A.D. 283). He resolved to abandon the campaign, and died mysteriously on his way back to Europe, eight months afterwards. Arrius Aper, praefect of the praetorian guards, his father-in-law, who was suspected of having murdered him, was slain by Diocletian, whom the soldiers had already proclaimed his successor. Numerianus is represented as having been a man of considerable literary attainments, and of remarkably amiable character.