Gordian I
Imperator Caesar Marcus Antonius Gordianus Sempronianus Africanus Augustus
Marcus Antonius Gordianus was already approximately eighty years old when he was proclaimed emperor by the provincials of Africa Proconsularis, who had risen against Maximinus Thrax's tax collectors. A man of letters and great wealth, he accepted reluctantly. He and his son Gordian II immediately sent to Rome for senatorial recognition, which was granted. Their joint reign lasted only twenty-one days: Gordian II was killed in battle against Capelianus, the loyalist governor of Numidia. On hearing the news, Gordian I hanged himself.
Gordian I holds a unique place in numismatic history as the issuer of some of the rarest Roman coins in existence. The twenty-one-day dynasty he founded with his son, and its almost immediately posthumous continuation through Gordian III, is among the most dramatic episodes of the Crisis of the Third Century.
Key Events
Coinage
The coinage of Gordian I is among the rarest in the entire Roman Imperial series. Struck only at Rome over a period of roughly three weeks, genuine examples, particularly aurei, appear only occasionally at major specialist sales. His portrait shows the aged, bearded face of an elderly man of culture. The reverses employ conventional types of VICTORIA and PROVIDENTIA.
Denominations
Notable Types
- VICTORIA AVGG types (plural, for both Gordians)
- PROVIDENTIA AVGG types
- Rare joint types with Gordian II
Common Reverses
Active Mints
Related Resources
Further Reading
- Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume IV, Part III,
- Roman Coins and Their Values, Volume III,