Carinus - Roman Emperor : 283-285 A.D.
 Bronze Antoninianus 22mm (3.79 grams) Rome mint 282 A.D.
Reference: RIC 156
M AVR CARINVS NOB CAES, radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right
 PIETAS AVGG, pontifical implements, from left to right: lituus, knife, patera, jug,
simpulum and sprinkler, mintmark KAZ in ex.

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Sacrificial implements

The augur was a priest and official in the classical world, especially ancient Rome and Etruria . His main role was to interpret the will of the gods by studying the flight of birds: whether they are flying in groups/alone, what noises they make as they fly, direction of flight and what kind of birds they are. This was known as "taking the auspices ." The ceremony and function of the augur was central to any major undertaking in Roman society—public or private—including matters of war, commerce, and religion.

The Roman historian Livy stresses the importance of the augurs: "Who does not know that this city was founded only after taking the auspices, that everything in war and in peace, at home and abroad, was done only after taking the auspices?"

A Simpulum, or Simpuvium, was a small vessel or ladle with a long handle from the Roman era , used at sacrifices to make libations, and to taste the wines and other liquors which were poured on the head of the sacrificial victims. The simpulum was the sign of Roman priesthood, and one of the insignia of the College of Pontiffs.

The simpulum appears on a coin from Patras struck under Augustus . It is also placed before the head of Vesta , as a mark of that goddess, on a coin of the Domitian family, and is seen in the hand of a Vestal Virgin on coins of the Julio-Claudian dynasty . A man in a toga holds a simpulum in his hand on a coin of Antonio Drusi. It is commonly shown with the lituus and other sacrificial and augural instruments, on coins of Julius Caesar , Mark Antony , Marcus Aemilius Lepidus , Augustus , Caligula , Vespasian , Nerva , Antoninus , Marcus Aurelius , Caracalla , Publius Septimius Geta , Volusianus , Saloninus , Valerianus Minor , Domitius Calvinus and Pontius Pilate , as well as on many consular and colonial medals.

An aspergillum (less commonly, aspergilium or aspergil) is a liturgical implement used to sprinkle holy water . It comes in two common forms: a brush that is dipped in the water and shaken, and a perforated ball at the end of a short handle. Some have sponges or internal reservoirs that dispense holy water when shaken, while others must periodically be dipped in an aspersorium (holy water bucket, known to art historians as a situla ).

An aspergillum is used in Roman Catholic and Anglican ceremonies, including the Rite of Baptism and during the Easter Season . In addition, a priest will use the aspergillum to bless the candles during candlemas services and the palms during Palm Sunday Mass. At a requiem , if a casket is present, the priest will sprinkle holy water on the casket. The aspergillum can be used in other manners where sprinkling of holy water is appropriate, as in a house blessing, in which the priest might bless the entry to the home. The name derives from the Latin verb aspergere 'to sprinkle'.

The form of the aspergillum differs in the Eastern Orthodox Church . In the Greek Orthodox Church the aspergillum (randistirion) is in the form of a standing vessel with a tapering lid. The top of the lid has holes in it from which the agiasmos (holy water) is sprinkled. In the Russian Orthodox Church the aspergillium is in the form of a whisk made of cloth or hair. Sometimes, sprigs of basil are used to sprinkle holy water. In some of the Oriental Orthodox Churches , no aspergillum is used, but the priest will pour holy water into the palm of his right hand and throw it on the faithful.

A jug is a type of container for liquid. The term jug can also be used describe the breast of a woman, due to the fact that it holds liquid. It has an opening, often narrow, from which to pour or drink, and nearly always has some kind of handle. One could imagine a jug being made from nearly any watertight material, but most jugs throughout history have been made from clay, glass, or plastic . Some Native American and other tribes created liquid holding vessels by making woven baskets lined with an asphaltum sealer.

The lituus was a crooked wand (similar in shape to the top part of a crosier ) used as a cult instrument in ancient Roman religion by augurs to mark out a ritual space in the sky (a templum ). The passage of birds through this templum indicated divine favor or disfavor for a given undertaking.

The lituus was also used as a symbol of office for the college of the augurs to mark them out as a priestly group.

Marcus Aurelius Carinus (died 285) was Roman Emperor (283 – July, 285) and elder son of the Emperor Carus , on whose accession he was appointed governor of the western portion of the empire.

He fought with success against the Quadi tribes, but soon left the defence of the Upper Rhine to his legates and returned to Rome , where he abandoned himself to all kinds of debauchery and excess. He also celebrated the ludi Romani on a scale of unexampled magnificence.

After the death of Carus, the army in the East demanded to be led back to Europe, and Numerian , the younger son of Carus, was forced to comply. During a halt at Chalcedon , Numerian was found dead, and Diocletian , commander of the body-guards, who had claimed that Numerian had been assassinated, was proclaimed emperor by the soldiers.

Carinus at once left Rome and set out for the East to meet Diocletian. On his way through Pannonia he put down the usurper Sabinus Iulianus , and encountered the army of Diocletian in Moesia .

Carinus was successful in several engagements, and at the Battle of the Margus River (Morava), according to one account, the valour of his troops had gained the day, when he was assassinated by a tribune whose wife he had seduced. In another account, the battle is represented as having resulted in a complete victory for Diocletian, for Carinus' army deserted him: this second account is also confirmed by the fact that Diocletian kept Carinus' Praetorian Guard commander in service.

Carinus has the reputation of having been one of the worst of the emperors. This infamy was possibly supported by Diocletian himself. For example, Historia Augusta has Carinus marrying nine wives, while neglecting to mention his only real wife, Magnia Urbica , by whom he had an only son, Marcus Aurelius Nigrinianus.

After his death, Carinus' memory was condemned and his name, along with that of his wife, was erased from inscriptions.