Gordian III - Roman Emperor: 238-244 A.D. -
Silver Antoninianus 21mm (4.2 grams) Rome mint: 239 A.D.
Reference: RIC 36, C 130 [ 2 corncopias ]
IMPCAESMANTGORDIANVSAVG - Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
LIBERALITASAVGII - Liberalitas standing left, holding coin counter and
cornucopia.
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LIBERALITAS - Liberality, being one of the princely virtues and at the same
time a most popular quality, appears both as a legend and as a type on a great
many Roman imperial medals. These attest the occasions when the emperors made a
display of their generosity towards the people by all kinds of distributions
amongst them, in money and provisions. In the earlier age this was called
Congiarium (Munus), because they distributed congios oleo plenos. In the time of
the free republic, the Ediles were specially entrusted with these distributions,
as a means of acquiring the good will of the people. The same practice was
followed under the emperors; and we occasionally find on their coins the word
CONGIARIVM, but the more common term is LIBERALITAS, to which is frequently
added the number of times that such liberality has been exercised by each
emperor.
On these occasions of imperial munificence, a certain sum of money was for the
most part given to each person, and when grain was distributed, or bread, to
prevent the evils of dearness and famine from affecting the Roman populace, it
was called Annona. But when something beyond their ordinary pay was bestowed
upon the soldiers, it was denominated Donativum, a word, however, not found on
coins, but comprised under that of Liberalitas, or of Congiarium; and after the
reign of Marcus Aurelius, CONGIARIVM is no longer found, and the expression
LIBERALITAS is alone employed.
Liberality is personified by the image of a woman, holding in one hand a
counting board, or square tablet with a handle on which are cut a certain number
of holes. These boards were used to quickly count the proper number of coins or
other items for distribution to each person. It appears they would be dipped
into a container, covered with coins and the excess swept away back into the
container. The proper number of coins would fill the holes and then would be
dumped out to the recipient. On coins this symbol indicated the prince had
given to the people money, corn, and other articles of consumption. In the other
hand she holds a cornucopia, to indicate the abundance of wheat contained in the
public graineries. Liberalitas is represented as presiding at all congiaria. The
liberalities of the Augusti, by which the distribution of their bounties to the
people is signified, were of two kinds, ordinary and extraordinary.
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.
Rise to power
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
II Parthica 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[1].
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.
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