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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;John Anthony, post: 1898707, member: 42773&quot;]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.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]324325[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bust_Gordianus_III_Louvre_Ma1063.jpg" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bust_Gordianus_III_Louvre_Ma1063.jpg" rel="nofollow">Source</a></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Historical Background</b></p><p><br /></p><p>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.</p><p><br /></p><p>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.</p><p><br /></p><p>Michael Meckler of Ohio State University sums up Gordian’s rule as follows.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://www.luc.edu/roman-emperors/gordo3.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.luc.edu/roman-emperors/gordo3.htm" rel="nofollow">Source</a></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Numismatics</b></p><p><br /></p><p>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).</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Gordian III, 238-243</b></p><p>AR Antoninianus, 22mm, 4.8g; Antioch I mint: 240</p><p>Obverse: IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG; Bust, radiate, draped, cuirassed r.</p><p>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.</p><p>Reference: RIC IVc 37 (p. 19)</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]324342[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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