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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Al Kowsky, post: 7575085, member: 97383&quot;]Gordian III was to become the emperor of Rome in AD 238, despite being a 13-year-old orphan. The year AD 238 was also known as &quot;The Year of Six Emperors&quot;. Maximinus I <i>Thrax, </i>had been emperor of Rome since AD 235, but was growing increasingly unpopular. He was an uncouth barbarian, a harsh disciplinarian, &amp; despised by the senate for raising taxes on them for his military campaigns. An insurrection in North Africa broke out against him, supported by the senate, &amp; led by Gordian I &amp; his son Gordian II. Gordian II was killed in battle &amp; his father committed suicide after learning of his son&#039;s death. Maximinus &amp; his son Maximus were fighting German barbarians in the Danube frontier but soon learned about the growing insurrection. The frantic senate chose two of their own as co-emperors, Balbinus &amp; Pupienus, &amp; Gordian III was given the title of Caesar since he was the hereditary next in line to become emperor of Rome. After the parents of Gordian III died he was adopted by his wealthy grandfather Gordian I. Balbinus &amp; Pupienus were more interested in squabbling over Gordian&#039;s inheritance rather than facing the impending rage of Maximinus who began marching towards Rome. After 99 days of dealing with the bickering co-emperors both of them were murdered by the praetorian guards. So now Rome needed another emperor. What seemed like an irrational decision, the senate &amp; praetorian guards selected Gordian III as the next emperor of Rome <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie12" alt="o_O" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />. Odd as it may seem, the young Gordian was the perfect choice for the senate &amp; praetorian guards, since he wasn&#039;t old enough to have a political agenda of any kind <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie85" alt=":smuggrin:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />. Furthermore the handsome, quick-witted kid was well liked by the senate, praetorian guards, &amp; adored by the general population <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />. He seemed to provide a breath of fresh air during this period of civil wars &amp; unrest. As Maximinus &amp; his son approached Rome, with revenge as their goal, they were murdered by their own troops. The young emperor didn&#039;t shy away from his duties &amp; insisted on joining the army on military campaigns. He was wise beyond his years &amp; learned quickly with the guidance of the praetorian guards. Roger Bland gives convincing evidence that Gordian made a visit to Antioch, Syria in AD 239, &amp; engaged Shapur I successfully in a skirmish near Dura, Judaea. Coinage was resumed in Antioch, &amp; antoniniani (radiates) were soon being struck there for use in Rome. The first encounter with Shapur was a much smaller battle than what was to come in AD 243/244. After his triumphant return to Rome, Gordian knew intuitively that he would face Shapur again in a full scale war. To help prepare him for this event he chose an experienced &amp; trusted man as his new praetorian prefect, Timesitheus. To cement this relationship he married Tranquillina, daughter of Timesitheus. In AD 243 the Battle of Rhesaena began. Gordian &amp; his father-in-law had a resounding victory, saving Antioch, Syria from ultimate destruction, &amp; regaining control of Carrhae, Nisibis, &amp; Hatra. Many different coins &amp; medallions were struck in the provinces &amp; Rome to celebrate this event. Regrettably Timesitheus died of an illness while on the campaign, &amp; Gordian was murdered by the orders of his newly appointed Praetorian Prefect, Philip I (the Arab) <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie3" alt=":(" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />. The teenage emperor never got to enjoy his heroic status in Roman history, but countless numbers of coins bearing his image exist for collectors to enjoy today <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie50" alt=":happy:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1305854[/ATTACH] </p><p><b>Pisidia-Antiochia, Gordian III, AD 238-244, AE 34.2 mm, 25.82 gm, 7 h. Obverse: Laureate, draped, &amp; cuirassed bust facing right, IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG. Reverse: Gordian with a radiate crown, holding an eagle tip scepter, driving a slow quadriga, CAES ANTIOCH (CO L?), in exergue S A. Rare. Light adjustment marks on the obverse. RARE. Krzyzanowska dies XX/85; SNG von Aulock. </b><i><b>CNG E-Sale 491, lot 212. </b>Al Kowsky Collection.</i></p><p>This medallic size coin was struck to commemorate the Battle of Rhesaena. The portrait of Gordian has an impish smile, like a young teenager who has just played a prank on a friend <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie7" alt=":p" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1305871[/ATTACH] </p><p><b>Pisidia-Antiochia, Philip II, AD 247-249, AE 10.29 gm, 27 mm, 6 h. SNG France 1280-1; Krzyzanowska I/1. <i>Photo courtesy of Savoca Coins.</i></b></p><p>This coin, on a much smaller scale, uses the same reverse design as my coin.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1305872[/ATTACH] </p><p><b>Gordian III, c. AD 239, Rome Mint, AE Sestertius: 18.04 gm, 30 mm, 6 h. Reverse: Gordian in military dress holding spear &amp; shield. Sear 8726, Cohen 218. <i>Photo courtesy of David Sear, RCV 2000 Edition.</i></b></p><p>This handsome sestertius probably commemorates Gordian&#039;s return from Antioch &amp; his 1st victory over Shapur I.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1305878[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><b>Pisidia-Antiochia, Gordian III, AD 238-244. AE 20.96 gm, 33 mm, 7 h. Reverse: Victory seated on cuirass, inscribing shield on her knees, around various shields. Krzyzanowska XX/87. <i>Photo courtesy of Nomos AG.</i></b></p><p>This coin also commemorates Gordian&#039;s victory at the Battle of Rhesaena. </p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; [ATTACH=full]1305883[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Gordian III, c.239, Rome Mint, Billon Antoninianus. Reverse: Gordian driving a slow chariot while holding a patera. <i>Photo courtesy of Tkalec AG.</i></b></p><p>This beautiful radiate sold at auction for $3,175.00 <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie57" alt=":jawdrop:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />!</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1305915[/ATTACH] </p><p><b>Gordian III, Ad 238-244 (struck AD 243-244), Rome Mint. Bimetallic Medallion: 54.24 gm, 37 mm, 12 h. Reverse: Adlocutio scene of Gordian addressing four coharts holding spears, shields, vexillum, signum &amp; aquila. Standing behind Gordian is his Praetorian Prefect, Timesitheus. Of the greatest rarity. Gnecchi II, plate 4 (pl. 103, 3); Greuber 9, Froehner pg. 186; Cohen 6; Banti 4. <i>Photo courtesy of CNG Triton XXIII, lot 818.</i></b></p><p>This majestic masterpiece is the finest medallion of Gordian III to sell at auction in decades. With an estimate of $30,000.00, it managed to sell for $144,000.00 <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie57" alt=":jawdrop:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />!</p><p><br /></p><p>References:</p><p>Essay by Roger Bland, courtesy of <b>Academia</b>: An imperial visit to Antioch in AD 239. The numismatic evidence.</p><p><br /></p><p>Coinage and History of the Roman Empire, Volume One: History, David L. Vagi</p><p><br /></p><p>Roman Coins and Their Values III, 2000, David R. Sear</p><p><br /></p><p>Coin Archives, Internet.</p><p><br /></p><p>Wikipedia, Internet</p><p><br /></p><p>If any <b>CT </b>members have interesting coins or medallions of Gordian III to share you&#039;re welcome to post the on this thread <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie50" alt=":happy:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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