Numerianus was said to be a gifted poet and decent administrator. His brother, Carinus only merited the adjectives of cruel and arrogant. What they both had in common was a short, unremarkable reign. Numerian died like his father with the eastern legions of natural causes. Carinus was ready to defend himself against a presumptuous general called Diocletion when he was killed by an unhappy officer whose wife Carinus had seduced.