Antonia Gordiana - Wikipedia Antonia Gordiana From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigation Jump to search 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 Antonia Gordiana (201 - ?) was a prominent, wealthy and noble Roman woman who lived in the troubled and unstable 3rd century. She was the daughter of Roman Emperor Gordian I; sister to Roman Emperor Gordian II and mother to Roman Emperor Gordian III. Gordiana’s mother may be the granddaughter of Greek Sophist, consul and tutor Herodes Atticus. Augustan History names her as Maecia Faustina, however modern historians dismiss her name as false. She was most probably born in Rome. Along with her elder brother were raised and spent their childhoods in the house that Roman Republican General Pompey had built in Rome. Previous owners included Roman Triumvir Mark Antony and Roman Emperor Tiberius. After 214, Gordiana married an unnamed Roman Senator. Augustan History names her husband as Junius Balbus, however modern historians dismiss his name as false. She bore her husband a son, Marcus Antonius Gordianus Pius (known as Gordian III), born 20 January 225. The birth name of Gordian III is unknown and his birthplace is unknown. The name of Gordian (as we know him) he assumed when he became Roman Emperor. Her husband had died before 238. After the brief reigns of her father and brother, the Roman Senate in April appointed Balbinus and Pupienus as joint emperors. During the brief reign of Balbinus and Pupienus, her son became popular with Roman citizens and the joint emperors were forced to adopt her son as their heir. On July 29 238, Balbinus and Pupienus were both murdered by the Praetorian Guard and later that day her son became the new Roman Emperor. There is a possibility that Gordiana might have bribed the various Guards to murder the joint emperors, so that her son could become emperor. To keep in the favor of the Roman Senate, Gordian III assumed the name of his maternal grandfather and maternal uncle. The political fractions that supported Gordiana’s father and brother, also supported her son. Through them, she was able assist her son in directing affairs and create reformed policies in administration, fiscal affairs and Roman Army. Effects were made to limit the charges against the Roman wealthy and notable. Attention was made to strengthen defences along the empire’s borders and Roman Governors were prosecuted if they abused Roman taxes and power of the provinces. In 241, her son had appointed the able and efficient Timesitheus as prefect of the Praetorian Guard. Later, in May of that year, Gordian would marry Timesitheus’ daughter Tranquillina, who became Roman Empress. Timesitheus died in 243, and Gordian appointed the ambitious Philip the Arab as the new prefect. In February 244, Gordian died of unknown causes. Gordian either died in battle or was possibly murdered on the orders of Philip; however, Philip was proclaimed the new emperor. Gordian’s wife and daughter survived him. The fate of Gordiana after her son’s death is unknown. 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 Nerva–Antonine family tree[edit] v t e Nerva–Antonine family tree Q. Marcius Barea Soranus Q. Marcius Barea Sura Antonia Furnilla M. Cocceius Nerva Sergia Plautilla P. Aelius Hadrianus Titus (r. 79–81) Marcia Furnilla Marcia Trajanus Pater Nerva (r. 96–98) Ulpia[i] Aelius Hadrianus Marullinus Julia Flavia[ii] Marciana[iii] C. Salonius Matidius[iv] Trajan (r. 98–117) Plotina P. Acilius Attianus P. Aelius Afer[v] Paulina Major[vi] Lucius Mindius (2) Libo Rupilius Frugi (3) Matidia[vii] L. Vibius Sabinus (1)[viii] Paulina Minor[vi] L. Julius Ursus Servianus[ix] Matidia Minor[vii] Suetonius?[x] Sabina[iii] Hadrian[v][xi][vi] (r. 117–138) Antinous[xii] Julia Balbilla?[xiii] C. Fuscus Salinator I Julia Serviana Paulina M. Annius Verus[xiv] Rupilia Faustina[xv] Boionia Procilla Cn. Arrius Antoninus L. Ceionius Commodus Appia Severa C. Fuscus Salinator II L. Caesennius Paetus Arria Antonina Arria Fadilla[xvi] T. Aurelius Fulvus L. Caesennius Antoninus L. Commodus Plautia ignota[xvii] C. Avidius Nigrinus M. Annius Verus[xv] Domitia Calvilla[xviii] Fundania[xix] M. Annius Libo[xv] FAUSTINA[xvi] Antoninus Pius (r. 138–161)[xvi] L. Aelius Caesar[xvii] Avidia[xvii] Cornificia[xv] MARCUS AURELIUS (r. 161–180)[xx] FAUSTINA Minor[xx] C. Avidius Cassius[xxi] Aurelia Fadilla[xvi] LUCIUS VERUS (r. 161–169)[xvii] (1) Ceionia Fabia[xvii] Plautius Quintillus[xxii] Q. Servilius Pudens Ceionia Plautia[xvii] Cornificia Minor[xxiii] M. Petronius Sura COMMODUS (r. 177–192)[xx] Fadilla[xxiii] M. Annius Verus Caesar[xx] Ti. Claudius Pompeianus (2) Lucilla[xx] M. Plautius Quintillus[xvii] Junius Licinius Balbus Servilia Ceionia Petronius Antoninus L. Aurelius Agaclytus (2) Aurelia Sabina[xxiii] L. Antistius Burrus (1) Plautius Quintillus Plautia Servilla C. Furius Sabinus Timesitheus Antonia Gordiana Junius Licinius Balbus? Furia Sabina Tranquillina GORDIAN III (r. 238–244) (1) = 1st spouse (2) = 2nd spouse (3) = 3rd spouse   Reddish purple indicates emperor of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty   lighter purple indicates designated imperial heir of said dynasty who never reigned   grey indicates unsuccessful imperial aspirants   bluish purple indicates emperors of other dynasties dashed lines indicate adoption; dotted lines indicate love affairs/unmarried relationships small caps = posthumously deified (Augusti, Augustae, or other) Notes: Except where otherwise noted, the notes below indicate that an individual's parentage is as shown in the above family tree. ^ Sister of Trajan's father: Giacosa (1977), p. 7. ^ Giacosa (1977), p. 8. ^ a b Levick (2014), p. 161. ^ Husband of Ulpia Marciana: Levick (2014), p. 161. ^ a b Giacosa (1977), p. 7. ^ a b c DIR contributor (Herbert W. Benario, 2000), "Hadrian". ^ a b Giacosa (1977), p. 9. ^ Husband of Salonia Matidia: Levick (2014), p. 161. ^ Smith (1870), "Julius Servianus".[dead link] ^ Suetonius a possible lover of Sabina: One interpretation of HA Hadrianus 11:3 ^ Smith (1870), "Hadrian", pp. 319–322.[dead link] ^ Lover of Hadrian: Lambert (1984), p. 99 and passim; deification: Lamber (1984), pp. 2–5, etc. ^ Julia Balbilla a possible lover of Sabina: A. R. Birley (1997), Hadrian, the Restless Emperor, p. 251, cited in Levick (2014), p. 30, who is sceptical of this suggestion. ^ Husband of Rupilia Faustina: Levick (2014), p. 163. ^ a b c d Levick (2014), p. 163. ^ a b c d Levick (2014), p. 162. ^ a b c d e f g Levick (2014), p. 164. ^ Wife of M. Annius Verus: Giacosa (1977), p. 10. ^ Wife of M. Annius Libo: Levick (2014), p. 163. ^ a b c d e Giacosa (1977), p. 10. ^ The epitomator of Cassius Dio (72.22) gives the story that Faustina the Elder promised to marry Avidius Cassius. This is also echoed in HA "Marcus Aurelius" 24. ^ Husband of Ceionia Fabia: Levick (2014), p. 164. ^ a b c Levick (2014), p. 117. References: DIR contributors (2000). "De Imperatoribus Romanis: An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Rulers and Their Families". Retrieved 2015-04-14. Giacosa, Giorgio (1977). Women of the Caesars: Their Lives and Portraits on Coins. Translated by R. Ross Holloway. Milan: Edizioni Arte e Moneta. ISBN 0-8390-0193-2. Lambert, Royston (1984). Beloved and God: The Story of Hadrian and Antinous. New York: Viking. ISBN 0-670-15708-2. Levick, Barbara (2014). Faustina I and II: Imperial Women of the Golden Age. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-537941-9. William Smith, ed. (1870). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Sources[edit] http://www.roman-emperors.org/gordo1.htm http://www.roman-emperors.org/gordo3.htm http://www.fofweb.com/Onfiles/Ancient/AncientDetail.asp?iPin=AGRW0295 http://gordianiiirpc.ancients.info/reign%20of%20gordian.html Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Antonia_Gordiana&oldid=1017248794" Categories: 3rd-century Romans 3rd-century Roman women 201 births Antonii Gordian dynasty Daughters of Roman emperors Hidden categories: All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from October 2016 AC with 0 elements Date of death unknown 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 Languages Български Deutsch Español Italiano مصرى Português Română Українська Edit links This page was last edited on 11 April 2021, at 18:17 (UTC). 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