Gordian I - Wikipedia Gordian I From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigation Jump to search Roman emperor in 238 Roman emperor Gordian I Bust, Capitoline Museums, Rome Roman emperor Reign 22 March – 12 April 238 Predecessor Maximinus Thrax Successor Pupienus and Balbinus Co-emperor Gordian II Born c. 159 possibly Phrygia Died 12 April 238 (aged 79) Carthage, Africa Proconsularis Spouse Unknown, possibly Fabia Orestilla[1] Issue Gordian II Antonia Gordiana Names Marcus Antonius Gordianus Sempronianus Romanus[2] Regnal name Imperator Caesar Marcus Antonius Gordianus Sempronianus Romanus Africanus Augustus[3] Dynasty Gordian Father Unknown, possibly Maecius Marullus[4] or Marcus Antonius[5] Mother Unknown, possibly Ulpia Gordiana[4] or Sempronia Romana[5] Part of a series on Roman imperial dynasties Year of the Six Emperors 238 AD Maximinus Thrax Gordian I and Gordian II Pupienus and Balbinus, nominally with Gordian III v t e Gordian I (Latin: Marcus Antonius Gordianus Sempronianus Romanus Africanus; c. 159 AD[6] – 12 April 238 AD) was Roman Emperor for 21 days with his son Gordian II in 238, the Year of the Six Emperors. Caught up in a rebellion against the Emperor Maximinus Thrax, he was defeated by forces loyal to Maximinus, and he committed suicide after the death of his son. Contents 1 Family and background 2 Early life 2.1 Fabia Orestilla 3 Rise to power 4 Legacy 5 Family tree 6 Sources 6.1 Primary sources 6.2 Secondary sources 7 References 8 External links Family and background[edit] Little is known about the early life and family background of Gordian I. There is no reliable evidence on his family origins.[7] Gordian I was said to be related to prominent Senators of his time.[8] His praenomen and nomen Marcus Antonius suggested that his paternal ancestors received Roman citizenship under the Triumvir Mark Antony, or one of his daughters, during the late Roman Republic.[8] Gordian’s cognomen ‘Gordianus’ also indicates that his family origins were from Anatolia, more specifically Galatia or Cappadocia.[9] According to the Augustan History, his mother was a Roman woman called Ulpia Gordiana and his father was the Senator Maecius Marullus.[4] While modern historians have dismissed his father's name as false, there may be some truth behind the identity of his mother. Gordian's family history can be guessed through inscriptions. The name Sempronianus in his name, for instance, may indicate a connection to his mother or grandmother. In Ankara, Turkey, a funeral inscription has been found that names a Sempronia Romana, daughter of a named Sempronius Aquila (an imperial secretary).[8] Romana erected this undated funeral inscription to her husband (whose name is lost) who died as a praetor-designate.[7] Gordian might have been related to the gens Sempronia. French historian Christian Settipani identified Gordian I's parents as Marcus Antonius (b. ca 135), tr. pl., praet. des., and wife Sempronia Romana (b. ca 140), daughter of Titus Flavius Sempronius Aquila (b. ca 115), Secretarius ab epistulis Graecis, and wife Claudia (b. ca 120), daughter of an unknown father and his wife Claudia Tisamenis (b. ca 100), sister of Herodes Atticus.[5] It appears in this family tree that the person who was related to Herodes Atticus was Gordian I's mother or grandmother and not his wife.[8] Also according to the Augustan History, the wife of Gordian I was a Roman woman called Fabia Orestilla,[1] born circa 165, whom the Augustan History claims was a descendant of the Emperors Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius through her father Fulvus Antoninus.[1] Modern historians have dismissed this name and her information as false.[7] With his wife, Gordian I had at least two children: a son of the same name [10] and a daughter, Antonia Gordiana (who was the mother of the future Emperor Gordian III).[11] His wife died before 238 AD. Christian Settipani identified her parents as Marcus Annius Severus, who was a Suffect Consul, and his wife Silvana, born circa 140 AD, who was the daughter of Lucius Plautius Lamia Silvanus and his wife Aurelia Fadilla, the daughter of Antoninus Pius and wife Annia Galeria Faustina or Faustina the Elder.[5] Early life[edit] Gordian steadily climbed the Roman imperial hierarchy when he became part of the Roman Senate. His political career started relatively late in his life[7] and his early years were probably spent in rhetoric and literary studies.[8] As a military man, Gordian commanded the Legio IV Scythica when the legion was stationed in Syria.[8] He served as governor of Roman Britain in 216 AD and was a Suffect Consul sometime during the reign of Elagabalus.[7] Inscriptions in Roman Britain bearing his name were partially erased suggesting some form of imperial displeasure during this role.[12] While he gained unbounded popularity on account of the magnificent games and shows he produced as aedile,[13] his prudent and retired life did not excite the suspicion of Caracalla, in whose honor he wrote a long epic poem called Antoninias.[14][15]Gordian certainly retained his wealth and political clout during the chaotic times of the Severan dynasty which suggests a personal dislike for intrigue. Philostratus dedicated his work Lives of the Sophists to either him or his son, Gordian II.[16] Fabia Orestilla[edit] Fabia Orestilla was the great-granddaughter of Antoninus Pius and the wife of Gordian I.[17] She married him probably in 192 and had two sons and a daughter.[17] Orestilla is only mentioned in the Augustan History.[1] In part because the Augustan History also names the father-in-law of the oldest Gordian as "Annius Severus",[18] modern historians do not believe that this is the name of his wife, and dismiss this name and her information as false. An alternative theory many believe is that his wife was the granddaughter of Greek Sophist, consul and tutor Herodes Atticus. Rise to power[edit] During the reign of Alexander Severus, Gordian I (who was by then in his late sixties), after serving his Suffect Consulship prior to 223, drew lots for the proconsular governorship of the province of Africa Proconsularis[7][19] which he assumed in 237.[20] However, prior to the commencement of his promagistrature, Maximinus Thrax killed Alexander Severus at Moguntiacum in Germania Inferior and assumed the throne.[21] Gordian I on a coin, bearing the title AFR, Africanus. Inscription: IMP. CAES. M. ANT. GORDIANVS AFR. AVG. / VICTORIA AVGG. S C. Maximinus was not a popular emperor and universal discontent increased due to his oppressive rule.[22] It culminated in a revolt in Africa in 238 AD. After, Maximinus' fiscal curator was murdered in a riot, people turned to Gordian and demanded that he accept the dangerous honor of the imperial throne.[2] Gordian, after protesting that he was too old for the position, eventually yielded to the popular clamour and assumed both the purple and the cognomen Africanus on 22 March.[23] According to Edward Gibbon: An iniquitous sentence had been pronounced against some opulent youths of [Africa], the execution of which would have stripped them of far the greater part of their patrimony. (…) A respite of three days, obtained with difficulty from the rapacious treasurer, was employed in collecting from their estates a great number of slaves and peasants blindly devoted to the commands of their lords and armed with the rustic weapons of clubs and axes. The leaders of the conspiracy, as they were admitted to the audience of the procurator, stabbed him with the daggers concealed under their garments, and, by the assistance of their tumultuary train, seized on the little town of Thysdrus, and erected the standard of rebellion against the sovereign of the Roman empire. (...) Gordianus, their proconsul, and the object of their choice [as emperor], refused, with unfeigned reluctance, the dangerous honour, and begged with tears that they should suffer him to terminate in peace a long and innocent life, without staining his feeble age with civil blood. Their menaces compelled him to accept the Imperial purple, his only refuge indeed against the jealous cruelty of Maximin (...).[24] Due to his advanced age, he insisted that his son be associated with him.[25] A few days later, Gordian entered the city of Carthage with the overwhelming support of the population and local political leaders.[26] Gordian I sent assassins to kill Maximinus' praetorian prefect, Publius Aelius Vitalianus[27] and the rebellion seemed to be successful.[28] Gordian, in the meantime, had sent an embassy to Rome, under the leadership of Publius Licinius Valerianus,[29] to obtain the Senate’s support for his rebellion.[28] The Senate confirmed the new emperor on 2 April and many of the provinces gladly sided with Gordian.[30] Opposition came from the neighboring province of Numidia.[2] Capelianus, governor of Numidia and a loyal supporter of Maximinus Thrax, held a grudge against Gordian[30] and invaded the African province with the only legion stationed in the region, III Augusta, and other veteran units.[31] Gordian II, at the head of a militia army of untrained soldiers, lost the Battle of Carthage and was killed,[30] and Gordian I took his own life by hanging himself with his belt.[32] The Gordians had reigned only 21 days.[7] Gordian was the first emperor to commit suicide since Otho in 69 during The Year of the Four Emperors. Legacy[edit] Gordian's positive reputation can be attributed to his reportedly amiable character. Both he and his son were said to be fond of literature, even publishing their own voluminous works.[24] While they were strongly interested in intellectual pursuits, they possessed neither the necessary skills nor resources to be considered able statesmen or powerful rulers. Having embraced the cause of Gordian, the Senate was obliged to continue the revolt against Maximinus following Gordian's death, appointing Pupienus and Balbinus as joint emperors.[33] Nevertheless, by the end of 238, the recognised emperor would be Gordian III, Gordian's grandson.[33] Family tree[edit] previous Maximinus Thrax Roman Emperor 235–238 Pupienus Roman Emperor 238 Gordian I Roman Emperor 238 ∞ (?) Fabia Orestilla Balbinus Roman Emperor 238 Gordian II co-emperor 238 Antonia Gordiana (doubted) Junius Licinius Balbus consul suffectus Gaius Furius Sabinius Aquila Timesitheus praetorian prefect next Philip the Arab Roman Emperor 244–249 Gordian III Roman Emperor 238 Furia Sabinia Tranquillina Philip II Roman Emperor co-emperor 247–249 Sources[edit] Primary sources[edit] Herodian, Roman History, Book 7 Historia Augusta, The Three Gordians Aurelius Victor, Epitome de Caesaribus Joannes Zonaras, Compendium of History extract: Zonaras: Alexander Severus to Diocletian: 222–284 Zosimus, Historia Nova Secondary sources[edit] Adkins, Lesley; Adkins, Roy A. (2004) [1994]. Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome: Updated Edition. New York: Facts on File. ISBN 0-8160-5026-0. Birley, Anthony (2005), The Roman Government in Britain, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-925237-4 Gibbon, Edward, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1888) Grasby, K.D. (1975). "The Age, Ancestry, and Career of Gordian I". Classical Quarterly. 25 (1): 123–130. doi:10.1017/S000983880003295X. JSTOR 638250. Meckler, Michael L., Gordian I (238 A.D.), De Imperatoribus Romanis (2001) Potter, David Stone, The Roman Empire at Bay, AD 180–395, Routledge, 2004 Settipani, Christian, Continuité gentilice et continuité sénatoriale dans les familles sénatoriales romaines à l'époque impériale, 2000 Southern, Pat (2015) [2001]. The Roman Empire from Severus to Constantine (2nd ed.). London: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-73807-1. Syme, Ronald, Emperors and Biography, Oxford University Press, 1971 References[edit] ^ a b c d Historia Augusta, The Three Gordians, 17:4 ^ a b c Southern, p. 86. ^ Cooley, Alison E. (2012). The Cambridge Manual of Latin Epigraphy. Cambridge University Press. p. 497. ISBN 978-0-521-84026-2. ^ a b c Historia Augusta, The Three Gordians, 2:2 ^ a b c d Settipani, "Continuité gentilice et continuité sénatoriale dans les familles sénatoriales romaines à l'époque impériale" ^ Gordian I, A Dictionary of the Roman Empire, ed. Matthew Bunson, (Oxford University Press, 1995), 183. ^ a b c d e f g Meckler, Gordian I ^ a b c d e f Birley, pg. 340 ^ Peuch, Bernadette, "Orateurs et sophistes grecs dans les inscriptions d'époque impériale", (2002), pg. 128 ^ Historia Augusta, The Three Gordians, 17:1 ^ Historia Augusta, The Three Gordians, 4:2 ^ Birley, pg. 339 ^ Historia Augusta, The Three Gordians, 3:5 ^ Historia Augusta, The Three Gordians, 3:3 ^ Kemezis, Adam M (2014). Greek Narratives of the Roman Empire Under the Severans: Cassius Dio, Philostratus and Herodian. Cambridge University Press. ^ "Grant, The Roman Emperors", pg. 140 ^ a b Krawczuk, Aleksander (1998). Poczet cesarzowych Rzymu. Warszawa: Iskry. p. 147. ISBN 83-244-0021-4. Archived from the original on 7 July 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2018. ^ Historia Augusta, The Three Gordians, 6:4 ^ Herodian, 7:5:2 ^ Birley, pg. 333 ^ Potter, pg. 167 ^ Cope, Geoffrey. Gordian I, 2, & 3 (238AD-244AD). ^ Herodian, 7:5:8 ^ a b Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol. I, Ch. 7 ^ Adkins, Lesley and Adkins Roy A., Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome: Updated Edition, p. 27: Gordian II was "Proclaimed co-emperor on 22 March 238" with Gordian II ^ Herodian, 7:6:2 ^ Laale, Hans Willer (2011). Ephesus (Ephesos): An Abbreviated History from Androclus to Constantine X. WestBow Press. ISBN 978-144-971-618-9. ^ a b Potter, pg. 169 ^ Zosimus, 1:11 ^ a b c Potter, pg. 170 ^ Herodian, 7.9.3 ^ D'Epiro, Peter (2010). The Book of Firsts: 150 World-Changing People and Events, from Caesar Augustus to the Internet. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ISBN 978-030-747-666-1. ^ a b Southern, p. 87. External links[edit] Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gordianus I.  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain:  Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Gordian". Encyclopædia Britannica. 12 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 247. Regnal titles Preceded by Maximinus Thrax Roman emperor 238 With: Gordian II Succeeded by Pupienus Balbinus v t e Roman and Byzantine emperors and ruling empresses Principate 27 BC – AD 235 Augustus Tiberius Caligula Claudius Nero Galba Otho Vitellius Vespasian Titus Domitian Nerva Trajan Hadrian Antoninus Pius Marcus Aurelius Lucius Verus Commodus Pertinax Didius Julianus (Pescennius Niger) (Clodius Albinus) Septimius Severus Caracalla Geta Macrinus Diadumenian Elagabalus Severus Alexander Crisis 235–285 Maximinus Thrax Gordian I Gordian II Pupienus Balbinus Gordian III Philip the Arab Philip II Decius Herennius Etruscus Hostilian Trebonianus Gallus Volusianus Aemilianus Valerian Gallienus Saloninus Claudius Gothicus Quintillus Aurelian Ulpia Severina Tacitus Florian Probus Carus Carinus Numerian Gallic emperors Postumus (Laelianus) Marius Victorinus (Domitianus II) Tetricus I with Tetricus II as caesar Palmyrene emperors Vaballathus Zenobia Septimius Antiochus Dominate 284–395 Diocletian Maximian Galerius Constantius I Severus Constantine the Great Maxentius Licinius Maximinus Daza (Valerius Valens) (Martinian) Constantine II Constantius II Constans I Magnentius Vetranio Julian Jovian Valentinian I (west) Valens (east) Gratian (west) Valentinian II (west) Theodosius I Magnus Maximus Victor (Eugenius) Western Empire 395–480 Honorius Constantine III with son Constans II Constantius III Joannes Valentinian III Petronius Maximus Avitus Majorian Libius Severus Anthemius Olybrius Glycerius Julius Nepos Romulus Augustulus Eastern/ Byzantine Empire 395–1204 Arcadius Theodosius II Marcian Leo I Leo II Zeno Basiliscus Marcus Anastasius I Dicorus Justin I Justinian I Justin II Tiberius II Constantine Maurice with son Theodosius as co-emperor Phocas Heraclius Constantine III Heraklonas Constans II Constantine IV with brothers Heraclius and Tiberius and then Justinian II as co-emperors Justinian II (first reign) Leontios Tiberius III Justinian II (second reign) with son Tiberius as co-emperor Philippikos Anastasios II Theodosius III Leo III the Isaurian Constantine V Artabasdos Leo IV the Khazar Constantine VI Irene Nikephoros I Staurakios Michael I Rangabe with son Theophylact as co-emperor Leo V the Armenian with Symbatios-Constantine as junior emperor Michael II the Amorian Theophilos Michael III Basil I the Macedonian Leo VI the Wise Alexander Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos Romanos I Lekapenos with sons Christopher, Stephen and Constantine as junior co-emperors Romanos II Nikephoros II Phokas John I Tzimiskes Basil II Constantine VIII Zoë (first reign) and Romanos III Argyros Zoë (first reign) and Michael IV the Paphlagonian Michael V Kalaphates Zoë (second reign) with Theodora Zoë (second reign) and Constantine IX Monomachos Constantine IX Monomachos (sole emperor) Theodora Michael VI Bringas Isaac I Komnenos Constantine X Doukas Romanos IV Diogenes Michael VII Doukas with brothers Andronikos and Konstantios and son Constantine Nikephoros III Botaneiates Alexios I Komnenos John II Komnenos with Alexios Komnenos as co-emperor Manuel I Komnenos Alexios II Komnenos Andronikos I Komnenos with John Komnenos as co-emperor Isaac II Angelos Alexios III Angelos Alexios IV Angelos Nicholas Kanabos (chosen by the Senate) Alexios V Doukas Empire of Nicaea 1204–1261 Constantine Laskaris Theodore I Laskaris John III Doukas Vatatzes Theodore II Laskaris John IV Laskaris Byzantine Empire 1261–1453 Michael VIII Palaiologos Andronikos II Palaiologos with Michael IX Palaiologos as co-emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos John V Palaiologos John VI Kantakouzenos with John V Palaiologos and Matthew Kantakouzenos as co-emperors John V Palaiologos Andronikos IV Palaiologos John VII Palaiologos Andronikos V Palaiologos Manuel II Palaiologos John VIII Palaiologos Constantine XI Palaiologos Italics indicates a junior co-emperor, while underlining indicates a usurper. Authority control General Integrated Authority File ISNI 1 VIAF 1 WorldCat National libraries France (data) United States Art research institutes Artist Names (Getty) Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gordian_I&oldid=1026086701" Categories: 159 births 238 deaths 3rd-century Roman emperors Crisis of the Third Century Suffect consuls of Imperial Rome Roman governors of Britain Deified Roman emperors Ancient Romans who committed suicide Suicides by hanging in Tunisia Antonii Gordian dynasty Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description is different from Wikidata Use dmy dates from March 2020 Short description matches Wikidata Articles containing Latin-language text Commons category link is on Wikidata Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource reference Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with ULAN identifiers Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers Navigation menu Personal tools Not logged in Talk Contributions Create account Log in Namespaces Article Talk Variants Views Read Edit View history More Search Navigation Main page Contents Current events Random article About Wikipedia Contact us Donate Contribute Help Learn to edit Community portal Recent changes Upload file Tools What links here Related changes Upload file Special pages Permanent link Page information Cite this page Wikidata item Print/export Download as PDF Printable version In other projects Wikimedia Commons Languages العربية تۆرکجه Bân-lâm-gú Беларуская Български Brezhoneg Català Čeština Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch Eesti Ελληνικά Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Français Frysk Galego 客家語/Hak-kâ-ngî 한국어 Հայերեն Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Íslenska Italiano עברית ქართული Kiswahili Latina Magyar Македонски मराठी مصرى Bahasa Melayu Nederlands 日本語 Norsk bokmål Occitan Polski Português Română Русский Scots Simple English Slovenčina Slovenščina Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Tagalog ไทย Türkçe Українська Tiếng Việt 吴语 Yorùbá 粵語 Zazaki 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 31 May 2021, at 09:00 (UTC). 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