Gordian III

I’ve lately acquired a handful of coins issued by Gordian III, which has spurred me to some additional research, both historical and numismatic. With only four antoniniani and one sestertius, my collection is only in its infancy, but I hope to expand it to include many more pieces representative of the different minting periods. Please chime in with your own coins and insights.



Source

Historical Background

The heavy-handed reign of Maximinus Thrax led to a revolt in 238, with the Roman Senate electing Pupienus and Balbinus as joint rulers. These were not popular men, and so to appease the citizenry, the senate also moved to elevate the young Gordian III to Caesar and royal heir. He would not have to wait long to assume the throne. Maximinus was defeated by Pupienus and Balbinus, but they in turn suffered the defection of several legions, and were killed by the Praetorian Guard in short order. That left Gordian III the sole ruler of the Roman Empire on 29 July, 238, at the age of thirteen.

Accounting to his young age, imperial rule was left largely to the aristocratic families, from which Timesitheus predominated as praetorian prefect. Gordian was married to Timesitheus’ daughter, Furia Sabinia Tranquillina in 241. Shortly after the Battle of Resaena in 243, Gordian’s father-in-law died, and was succeeded by Marcus Julius Phillippus, or Philip the Arab. Philip was both ambitious and unscrupulous. RIC states, “Not content to govern through and for Gordian , he created difficulties between him and his troops, gradually discrediting his authority, and finally removing him by murder.” (RIC VIc, p. xix) Recent scholarship, however, casts doubt on the ancient sources that claim Philip murdered Gordian III, and the question of his death remains unresolved.

Michael Meckler of Ohio State University sums up Gordian’s rule as follows.

Source

Numismatics

RIC segregates the coinage of Gordian III into five issues being emissions of the Rome mint, and two types being emissions of an Eastern mint which Voetter identifies as Antioch. I’ll begin the posting of coins with a new acquisition which arrived yesterday. This antoninianus belongs to the third issue, of the year 240. Here, the emperor is seen performing a religious duty. “As in the first and second issues, the types are all common enough individually, but not without significance in combination. The reign is now past its first trial stage. The young Emperor is beginning to appear more in the open and assume new responsibilities.” (RIC IVc, p. 9).

Gordian III, 238-243
AR Antoninianus, 22mm, 4.8g; Antioch I mint: 240
Obverse: IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG; Bust, radiate, draped, cuirassed r.
Reverse: PM TRP II COS PP; Gordian, togate, veiled, stg. front, head l., sacrificing out of patera in r. hand over altar, wand in l. hand.
Reference: RIC IVc 37 (p. 19)

 

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Nice post JA. I thoroughly enjoyed the historical background. My Gordian III was one of my very first ancients, bought as part of a set almost 10 years ago.

Gordian III; 238-244 AD
Silver AR Antoninianus;
OBV: IMP GORDIANVS FEL AVG Radiate, draped bust right
REV: SECVRIT PERPET; Goddess Securitas standing Left with scepter, leaning on column (RIC 152)

 

I have one GIII antoninianus from the Stack's mixed lot but haven't taken pictures yet. Meanwhile, here's a provincial from the Goldberg mixed lot.



MESOPOTAMIA, Edessa
Gordian III / Abgar X
AE25, 10.7 gm
Obv: [uncertain] ANT GORDIANOC CEB, laureate, draped & cuirassed bust of Gordian III; star before
Rev: ABGAROC BACILEUC; crowned and draped bust of Abgar X Phraates right; star behind
Ref: BMC 144; SNG Cop 225

 

A very nice coin with an excellent rendition of Securitas. Looking this coin up, I see that it belongs to the fifth, and final issue. RIC has some very intriguing things to say about this issue, so rather than paraphrasing, I'll just quote it...

RIC IVc, pp. 11-12

 

A fabulous coin! Gordian reinstalled the rule of the dynasty in Edessa with the appointment of Abgar X, hence the two portraits. The characteristic tiara of the Osrohoene kings is superb. The beginning of the obverse legend would be AVT K M ANT...

 

Nice coin JA and the rest as well. Love the reverse TIF. Here are a couple of my GIII's:

GORDIAN III AR Antoninianus
OBVERSE: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, radiate, draped & cuirassed bust right
REVERSE: LIBERALITAS AVG III, Liberalitas standing left with abacus & cornucopia
Struck at Rome, 240AD
4.6g, 21mm
RIC 67


GORDIAN III AE26
OBVERSE: ΑΥΤ Κ Μ ΑΝΤ ΓΟΡ∆ΙΑΝΟC ΑΥΓ ΤΡΑΝΚΥΛ/ΛΙΝΑ, confronted busts of Gordian III and Tranquillina
REVERSE: ΟΥΛΠΙΑΝΩΝ ΓΧΙΑΛΕ/ΩΝ, Tyche or Homonoia standing left wearing modius, patera in right, cornucopia in left
Struck at Anchialus, 238-244 AD
12.44g, 26mm
AMNG II 675

 

RIC 67 belongs to the third issue, and what I found interesting is that the inscriptions PIVS FELIX had not yet become "conventional adjuncts of the imperial title" (RIC). Commodus had first introduced the words in combination on his legends, and in Gordian's case, PIVS probably connects him to the piety of his grandfather and uncle, Gordian I and II, and FELIX probably refers to his good luck in the suppression of the African revolt.

Here are two of my ants from the third issue...

1. Gordian III, 238-244
AR Antoninianus, 23mm, 4.58g; Rome mint: 241-243
Obv.: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG; Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: PM TR P IIII COS II PP; Apollo, bare to waist, seated left, holding branch and resting elbow on lyre.
Reference: RIC IV(c), 88 (p. 25)

2. Gordian III, 238-244
AR Antoninianus, 23mm, 4.3g; Rome mint: 241-243
Obv.: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG; radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind.
Rev.: AETER-NITATI AVG; Sol standing left, right hand raised, holding globe in left.
Reference: RIC IV(c), 83 (p. 24)

 

Very nice coin JA, love the info you post with your coins, you still can get these coins in good shape and with a reasonable price.

 

Cockroaches of the silver romans .

Though I still have a denarius I got of him I havent shared.

 

Common doesn't translate to undesirable in my book. I'm always on the lookout for Gordian ants in VF that I can grab for $20 to $25 apiece. Here's another from the fourth issue, the central issue of the reign, during which Gordian was under the powerful influence and tutelage of Timesitheus, and also married his daughter Tranquillina.

Gordian III, 238-244
AR Antoninianus, 22mm, 4.49g; Rome mint: 241-243
Obv.: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG; Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: PM TR P V COS II PP; Gordian, in military dress, stg. r., holding transverse spear and globe.
Reference: RIC IV(c), 92 (p. 25)

 

You show me your cockroaches, I'll show you mine.

 

You know my comment was because of how common they are. I just skim right past them, even the ones from antioch.

 

I didn't take offense, Mat. But we all like to post rare and valuable coins, so the common ones need a little love from time to time. I've discovered for myself that the Gordian ants do a good job of satisfying my occasional need to collect eye-appealing baubles on the cheap. If you think about it, these coins represent a consistently high level of minting - they're on the larger size, generally well-struck, of high fineness, and you can find just about every classic Roman theme on the reverse types.

If you're looking for something less common from this emperor, try the smaller bronzes. There are plenty of high-grade sestertii around, but start looking for an equally high-grade dupondius or as, and you're going to shell out a few Franklins.

 

I have done the same, but only because I keep thinking they are common/cheap enough, I can come back to them at a later time. However, that is probably a mistake, as sooner or later they will rise in value and not be so common.

 

I have 33 domna & 27 faustina jr denarii in two different stacks on my bookcase. I just choose to buy lady roaches instead of men roaches.

And those two fit your reason for buying gordian iii silver.

 

Rise in value, sure, just like other ancients. Ive seen it, but not so common?, doubt it.

 

Which brings up the matter of production. RIC records six officinae for the Rome mint, and Gordian III reigned for less than 6 years. They must have been churning these coins out 24/7 in continuous shifts, to have made how-many-millions-of-coins (?) that they were so dispersed over the whole of Europe that people are still digging them up. That's a rather astonishing output.

 

Indeed, and shame there wasnt more of his wife in ant. form.

 

Before I started reading up on Gordian, I didn't realize imperial Tranquillina issues were so rare. Fortunately, there's enough provincial coinage available that one doesn't have to do without a coin of hers.

 

That is true, and I have one which I have shared a few times. It isnt great looking but something. Still thought about buying more of her but then I find something else instead.