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CARAUSIUS, MARCUS AURELIUS

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Originally appearing in Volume V05, Page 301 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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CARAUSIUS, See also:MARCUS AURELIUS , See also:tyrant or usurper in See also:Britain, A.D. 286-293, was a Menapian from Belgic See also:Gaul, a See also:man of humble origin, who in his See also:early days had been a See also:pilot. Having entered the See also:Roman See also:army, he rapidly obtained promotion, and was stationed by the See also:emperor Maximian at Gessoriacum (See also:Bononia, See also:Boulogne) to protect the coasts and channel from Frankish and Saxon pirates. He at first acted energetically, but was subsequently accused of having entered into See also:partnership with the barbarians and was sentenced to See also:death by the emperor. Carausius thereupon crossed over to Britain and proclaimed himself an See also:independent ruler. The legions at once joined him; See also:numbers of See also:Franks enlisted in his service; an increased and well-equipped See also:fleet secured him the command of the neighbouring seas. In 289 Maximian attempted to recover the See also:island, but his fleet was damaged by a See also:storm and he was defeated. Maximian and See also:Diocletian were compelled to acknowledge the See also:rule of Carausius in Britain; numerous coins are extant with the heads of Carausius, Diocletian and Maximian, bearing the See also:legend " Carausius et fratres sui." In 292 See also:Constantius Chlorus besieged and captured Gessoriacum (hitherto in See also:possession of Carausius), together with See also:part of his fleet and See also:naval stores. Constantius then made extensive preparations to ensure the reconquest of Britain, but before they were completed Carausius was murdered by Allectus, his See also:praefect of the See also:guards (Aurelius See also:Victor, Caesares, 39; See also:Eutropius ix. 21, 22; See also:Eumenius, Panegyrici ii. 12, v. 12).

A Roman mile-See also:

stone found near See also:Carlisle (1895) bears the inscription See also:IMP. C[aes] M. AUR[elius] MAUS. The meaning of MAUS is doubtful, but it may be an anticipation of ARAUS (see F. J. Haverfield in See also:Cumberland and Westmoreland Antiquarian See also:Soc. Transactions, 1895, p. 437). A See also:copper See also:coin found at Richborough, inscribed Domino Carausio See also:Ces., must be ascribed to a Carausius of later date, since the type of the See also:reverse is not found until the See also:middle of the 4th See also:century at the earliest. Nothing is known of this Carausius (A. J. See also:Evans in Numismatic See also:Chronicle, 1887, " On a coin of a second Carausius See also:Caesar in Britain in the Fifth Century ").

See J. See also:

Watts de Peyster, The See also:History of Carausius, the Dutch See also:Augustus (1858) ; P. H. See also:Webb, The Reign and Coinage of Carausius (1908).

End of Article: CARAUSIUS, MARCUS AURELIUS

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