The historical figure of Roman Emperor Carus has been a subject of debate among researchers for centuries, particularly regarding the circumstances of his death. Carus ruled the Roman Empire from September 282 AD and died in 283 during a military campaign against Persia, in the territory of modern-day Iran.
This is reported by Finway
Theories of Emperor Carus’s Death
Among the most common theories regarding Carus’s demise are illness, murder, or even being struck by lightning. One of the earliest mentions of these events comes from the source “History of the Augustans,” written about a century after the emperor’s death by an unknown author. This source claims that during the encampment on the banks of the Tigris River, a severe storm with thunder and lightning occurred, and it was then that Carus supposedly died from a lightning strike. A similar version has also been supported in other Roman chronicles. According to belief, this was a form of punishment from the gods for the emperor ignoring the prophecy: victory awaited him only until Ctesiphon, yet he chose to go further.
“Ancient sources claim that Emperor Carus was struck by lightning, and this was a punishment from the gods for not heeding the prophecy that victory would accompany him only to Ctesiphon, yet he continued onward.”
However, even in the “History of the Augustans,” there is a suggestion that the cause of death could have been an unknown illness. This hypothesis is also found in several other ancient documents.
Historical Disputes and Unlikely Circumstances
Currently, some historians lean towards the idea that the story of death by lightning is a fabrication of superstitious Romans. According to modern estimates, Carus likely died from a sudden illness, although his death may have coincided with bad weather. The possibility of deliberate murder by one of his generals is also not ruled out, although many researchers doubt this hypothesis due to the low probability of an assassination immediately after a significant victory. It is known that only about a quarter of all Roman emperors died of natural causes, while the rest fell victim to assassinations.
Due to the lack of reliable sources, scholars are unlikely to definitively establish the cause of Carus’s death. However, if he indeed died from lightning, it would be an extremely rare case. Modern calculations indicate that the probability of dying from a lightning strike is approximately 1 in 15,000.
Coin featuring Roman Emperor Carus. Photo: Wikipedia