GORDIAN III 238AD Deultum Thrace SATYR MARSYAS Genuine Ancient Roman Coin i57649

Marcus   Antonius Gordianus Pius (January 

20, 225
 

–

February 

11
, 244
), 

known in

English

as Gordian III,

was

Roman 

Emperor
from 238 to 244. Gordian was the son of

Antonia Gordiana

and his father was an unnamed Roman Senator who died before 

238. Antonia Gordiana was the daughter of Emperor

Gordian I
 

and younger sister of Emperor

Gordian II
. 

Very little is known on his early life before becoming Roman Emperor. Gordian 

had assumed the name of his maternal grandfather in 238.

Following the murder of emperor

Alexander Severus

in Moguntiacum (modern

Mainz
), the 

capital of the

Roman province

Germania Inferior

,

Maximinus Thrax

was acclaimed emperor, despite strong opposition of the

Roman senate

and the majority of the population. In response to what was 

considered in Rome as a rebellion, Gordian’s grandfather and uncle, Gordian I 

and II, were proclaimed joint emperors in the

Africa Province

. Their revolt was suppressed within a month by Cappellianus, 

governor of Numidia

and a loyal supporter of Maximinus Thrax. The elder Gordians died, 

but public opinion cherished their memory as peace loving and literate men, 

victims of Maximinus’ oppression.

Meanwhile, Maximinus was on the verge of marching on Rome and 

the Senate elected

Pupienus
 

and Balbinus
 

as joint emperors. These senators were not popular men and the population of 

Rome was still shocked by the elder Gordian’s fate, so that the Senate decided 

to take the teenager Gordian, rename him Marcus Antonius Gordianus as his 

grandfather, and raise him to the rank of

Caesar

and imperial heir.

Pupienus
 

and Balbinus
 

defeated Maximinus, mainly due to the defection of several

legions
, 

namely the

Parthica II

who assassinated Maximinus. But their joint reign was 

doomed from the start with popular riots, military discontent and even an 

enormous fire that consumed Rome in June 238. On

July 29
, 

Pupienus and Balbinus were killed by the

Praetorian guard

and Gordian proclaimed sole emperor.

Rule

Due to Gordian’s age, the imperial government was surrendered 

to the aristocratic families, who controlled the affairs of Rome through the 

senate. In 240,

Sabinianus
 

revolted in the African province, but the situation was dealt quickly. In 241, 

Gordian was married to Furia Sabinia

Tranquillina

, daughter of the newly appointed praetorian prefect,

Timesitheus

. As chief of the Praetorian guard and father in law of the 

emperor, Timesitheus quickly became the de facto ruler of the Roman 

empire.

In the 3rd century, the Roman frontiers weakened against the 

Germanic tribes across the

Rhine
and

Danube
, and the

Sassanid

kingdom across the

Euphrates
 

increased its own attacks. When the Persians under

Shapur I
 

invaded Mesopotamia

, the young emperor opened the doors of the

Temple of Janus

for the last time in Roman history, and sent a huge army to 

the East. The Sassanids were driven back over the Euphrates and defeated in the

Battle of Resaena

(243). The campaign was a success and Gordian, who had 

joined the army, was planning an invasion of the enemy’s territory, when his 

father-in-law died in unclear circumstances. Without Timesitheus, the campaign, 

and the emperor’s security, were at risk.

Marcus Julius Philippus, also known as

Philip the Arab

, stepped in at this moment as the new Praetorian Prefect and 

the campaign proceeded. In the beginning of 244, the Persians counter-attacked. 

Persian sources claim that a battle was fought (Battle 

of Misiche) near modern

Fallujah
(Iraq) 

and resulted in a major Roman defeat and the death of Gordian III. 

Roman sources do not mention this battle and suggest that Gordian died far away, 

upstream of the Euphrates. Although ancient sources often described Philip, who 

succeeded Gordian as emperor, as having murdered Gordian at Zaitha (Qalat es 

Salihiyah), the cause of Gordian’s death is unknown.

Gordian’s youth and good nature, along with the deaths of his 

grandfather and uncle and his own tragic fate at the hands of another usurper, 

granted him the everlasting esteem of the Romans. Despite the opposition of the 

new emperor, Gordian was deified by the Senate after his death, in order to 

appease the population and avoid riots.