Gordian II
Imperator Caesar Marcus Antonius Gordianus Sempronianus Africanus Junior Augustus
Gordian II was the son and co-emperor of Gordian I. A man of scholarly inclinations (ancient sources credit him with a vast library and literary output), he commanded the battle against Capelianus, governor of Numidia and the only provincial governor who remained loyal to Maximinus. Capelianus commanded the experienced Legio III Augusta; Gordian II had only a militia. He was killed in the rout outside Carthage after a reign of approximately twenty-one days, the shortest reign of any principal Roman emperor.
Gordian II holds the record for the shortest reign of any principal Roman emperor. His coins are extraordinary rarities; only a handful of aurei in his name are known. Collectors who acquire even a denarius can claim one of the rarest coins in the standard Roman Imperial sequence.
Key Events
Coinage
The coinage of Gordian II is equally rare to that of Gordian I and in some denominations rarer still. All issues were struck jointly with his father at Rome. His portrait, showing a younger bearded man, is distinguishable from his father's in degree of age. The joint AVGG legends on reverses are the primary identifier.
Denominations
Notable Types
- VICTORIA AVGG types (joint with Gordian I)
- PROVIDENTIA AVGG types
- Rare individual portrait types
Common Reverses
Active Mints
Related Resources
Further Reading
- Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume IV, Part III,
- Roman Coins and Their Values, Volume III,